Resources are expanding for Kansas City’s unhoused families who have lost homes due to COVID-19 as the City has signed an agreement with an area hotel. The City will temporarily house up to 28 families as part of a cold weather family housing initiative.
Director of the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department John Wood gave a report on the City’s unhoused population services and support at the January 7 City Council Business Session.
The City’s unhoused population services emphasizes four areas: funding various service providers and agencies that work with the unhoused population; coordination among City agencies to manage the vacating of encampments – which was called “carrying outreach to offer services” in a memo to the council; the new family rapid re-housing plan; and the Housing Solutions Summit, which Wood said the City Manager will be involved in.
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.