Proposals for Low-Barrier Housing Shelters Close as the Waiting Continues in Kansas City
Second Round of Housing Proposals Ends Amidst Tensions
In Kansas City, Missouri, the second round of proposals for low-barrier housing shelter closed on Thursday. This move imposes a period of uncertainty for both acting organizations and those who are unhoused. The decision followed the city council meeting of April 24, where an 8-2 vote was cast in favor of reopening the Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for a low-barrier shelter rather than bestowing the Hope Faith Homeless Assistance Campus with a $7.1 million grant.
The meeting was charged with frustration, primarily expressed by Hope Faith leadership when denied the monies. The initial resolution to grant the money to this organization met with resistance, with the opposition largely in support of scattered homeless shelters across the city, rather than concentrating funds into one facility.
Wait Begins Following Closure of Proposal Submissions
Following the close of the 30-day period for submitting the second round of proposals, the Executive Director of Hope Faith, Doug Langner, claimed to be optimistic, albeit non-competitive. He maintained that as long as no one was turned away or forced to pay or pray to stay, they would support whoever was selected.
Langner further noted the practicality of starting with one established location when initiating multiple low-barrier shelters. He stressed that the challenge lies within the sustainability of multiple sites and considered starting with an already established location as a viable solution.
Kansas City’s Chronic Homelessness Problem and the Urgency for Low-Barrier Shelters
Ignoring the homelessness issue is not an option. Langner cited HUD data from 2022, which indicated that Greater Kansas City, including surrounding cities like Independence, Lee’s Summit, and Wyandotte County, had 343 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. An alarming 89.6% of these were not sheltered. Sadly, these figures ranked higher than major cities like Raleigh, North Carolina, and Los Angeles.
Currently, Kansas City lacks any low-barrier homeless shelters. These shelters accept those in need as they are, without stringent sobriety, credit, or criminality requirements. Langner revealed Hope Faith’s proposal of a facility housing 100 beds with no set duration for the stay, a concept currently non-existent in the city. He also indicated that the per-night need is almost twice that quantity.
The Plight of the Unhoused in Kansas City
‘It’s not like I don’t want to work,’ professed Tonya Stone, an individual who is currently unhoused, reflecting the sentiments of many like her. Despite receiving a housing voucher from her case worker, she found little respite in securing available housing. Left with no option but to return to the streets, she articulated her struggle for survival and yearned for assistance that extended far beyond meals.
Stone’s experiences underline the urgency of the situation and the necessity for the city council to execute the review of newly submitted proposals promptly. With information about other applicants remaining confidential until contracts are signed, the wait continues for those in dire need of shelter.
Time is of the essence in securing a place of safety for the unhoused. As Stone dreams of coloring a world filled with humanity, the city authorities are pressed to extend that final inch of aid to those in need.
