The proposal for a homeless shelter and services center for adults in Lenexa may have failed, but the issue of emergency housing is not going away.
With that in mind, United Community Services of Johnson County and advocates throughout Kansas are launching an educational website and other initiatives to help in advocating for people without a permanent home.
The Kansas Housing Advocacy Network has a new website with an interactive map that links to short videos and PDFs answering some of the questions about their approach to homelessness that came up during the debate over the shelter proposed for the La Quinta Inn and Suites and former Denny’s restaurant at Interstate 35 and 95th Street.
The map has information on some of the terms used by state and federal agencies on housing, including the causes and solutions to homelessness, explanation of the continuum of care, coordinated entry system and housing first. Other links take the visitor to more detailed information about various agencies and programs.
The information on it is not new. The same material was presented to the Lenexa Planning Commission and City Council before they discussed (and ultimately denied) a special use permit for the shelter, said Kristy Baughman, executive director of UCS of Johnson County.
The county also shared the information on a webpage devoted to the shelter proposal, she said.
“Education and access to accurate information is an important part of advocacy, and I hope that the materials on the website contribute to a better community-wide understanding of homelessness causes and responses,” Baughman said.
Getting lawmakers on board
UCS officials also hope it will become a tool for advocacy with lawmakers.
Eventually the network plans to host training sessions on effective legislative advocacy and testimony. There will also be a policy website during next year’s legislative session in Topeka for legislative updates and action items.
“Education is an essential component in moving Johnson County and the rest of the state toward real solutions to challenges related to housing and homelessness,” Christina Ashie Guidry, UCS director of policy and planning, said in a news release. “The more our lawmakers understand, the better equipped they are to craft effective policies.”
How we got here
The proposal for a homeless center in Lenexa underwent months of debate, first at the county commission level and then at the Lenexa city level.
The commission entered into a real estate contract to buy the property — which would have provided private rooms and on-site mental health and occupational services — for $6 million, using federal COVID relief funds.
If approved, the shelter would have been Johnson County’s first and only year-round shelter serving single adults who are experiencing homelessness.
But the Lenexa City Council, following the recommendation of city staff and the planning commission, denied a special use permit needed for the project last week.
The county commission then terminated the real estate contract as well as a contract with reStart Inc., the Kansas City, Missouri-based nonprofit that was in line to operate the shelter.
The millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 money the county wanted to put towards purchasing and renovating the hotel must now be allocated to some other purpose by the end of this year.
