KCUR
Aerial view of the Woody Park encampment for the homeless in a small park northwest of downtown Lawrence, Kansas.
The situation has become worrisome enough that organizations are trying new ideas and in some cases teaming up to address a long-running need.
It may not have been perfect, but Leslie Vaughn’s delicate financial balance had always worked for her until this year.
Most of the time she had two jobs – “I’m not afraid of hard work,” she says – and her partner got contract work cleaning for businesses. The couple needed to replace the car, but a tax refund was supposed to take care of that.
Days Inn, 730 Iowa St., is pictured Dec. 24, 2020.
With the help of volunteers, the city of Lawrence will be opening an overnight drop-in shelter that aims to provide a safe option in freezing temperatures for the more than 100 homeless people currently estimated to be sleeping outside.
The city and other partners finalized agreements Wednesday afternoon so that the shelter could open Wednesday night, according to Assistant City Manager Brandon McGuire. McGuire said the city has contracted with Days Inn, 730 Iowa St., to host the shelter and signed an agreement with the volunteer group Lawrence Coalition for Homeless Concerns to operate the shelter.