Homeless task force hears ideas, frustrations

Some seek better services; others say city a 'destination'

In Lawrence’s sometimes-contentious discussion about what services it should provide its homeless, everyone agrees on one thing: There’s plenty of frustration.

Members of the city’s Task Force on Homeless Services, in a trio of meetings Thursday, heard the frustrations from across the spectrum. Homeless people expressed concerns about the quality and quantity of shelter space in the city, while top city officials said they thought the quality of the city’s services attracted new homeless residents.

“We have two flophouses. We don’t have shelters,” said Bill Sims, who is homeless and stays primarily at the Lawrence Open Shelter, 944 Ky. “We’re treated like a bunch of 5-year-olds at times.”

Sims, who attended a meeting at the Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen with about 20 other homeless residents, said the city’s shelters needed more private spaces, plus areas where agitated people could be separated from other residents rather than being turned back out on the street.

The city also isn’t doing enough to help create jobs for the homeless, said Louis Galloway, who is homeless. The recent ice and snowstorm provided a good example of how the city could do more, he said.

“There are all these tree limbs down,” Galloway said. “Why doesn’t the city come down and say ‘We need six or seven people to pick up limbs’? There are lots of homeless people who want to work.”

Some people also said the city’s homeless population received an unnecessarily bad reputation through the media and with the general public.

“Most of the problems mentioned in the newspaper are created by a small few,” said Randy Dyke, who is homeless.

But others said there were plenty of serious behavior problems among the city’s homeless population. Sims said there were many times he didn’t feel safe at the LINK meal site, which is in the basement of the First Christian Church, 221 W. 10th St.

Members of the Task Force on Homeless Services, from left, Steve Ozark, Candi Davis, Randy Beeman, Jim Schneider and Rich Forney have a discussion with members of the homeless community on issues affecting them in the city.

“You had better know who is sitting on your left and on your right, and you damn sure better know who is sitting behind you,” Sims said. “This is a violent community. People will get back at you. If you don’t believe that, you are not listening to the street.”

Lawrence a ‘destination’

At a meeting later in the day, task force members heard from several top city officials who said the quality of the existing homeless services attracted more homeless people to the community.

Police Chief Ron Olin said his department frequently dealt with homeless people who said Lawrence was a “destination” because of the services it provided. He also said he dealt with many Lawrence residents who “choose the street life.”

City Manager Mike Wildgen said city staff members weren’t necessarily saying the community’s service levels should be reduced, but said task force members should recognize the situation.

“I don’t think there is any doubt that the services are attracting people,” Wildgen said. “We are attractive, but we are a compassionate community.”

Wildgen said he even received secondhand information that a sheriff’s department in an adjacent county recently drove a homeless person from that community to downtown Lawrence because Lawrence’s services were better.

Loring Henderson, director of the Lawrence Open Shelter, said he thought the idea of Lawrence being a magnet for homeless was overblown. He said 60 percent of the open shelter’s residents had strong Lawrence ties.

“We have a 2-inch mat on a hard cement floor,” Henderson said. “I don’t think many people come very far for that.”

Regardless where they come from, Lawrence Parks and Recreation officials said they had concerns. Parks and Recreation officials said some homeless people used the showers at the Community Building, which is permitted, but then tried to hide in the building for the night. The number of people sleeping and loitering in parks also is problematic.

“You have kids playing, and there are people off in the bushes drinking something,” said Mark Hecker, the city’s parks superintendent. “That’s a problem, but I don’t know if that will ever go away.”

Hearing upcoming

Task force members conducted the meetings to receive feedback on a draft version of a new homeless services plan for the city. The group will have a communitywide hearing on the plan later this month, and will take the plan to city commissioners for consideration in February.

In addition to meeting with some homeless people and city officials, the group met with some members of the business community Thursday. At that meeting, the group took questions about how the city would fund the proposed plan. Task force members said funding would need to be broad-based but specific proposals hadn’t yet been developed.

“I don’t think there is near the money to accomplish everything in this plan, but if this plan even helps us use our existing money in a more coordinated fashion, that would be a wonderful first step,” said David Johnson, chief executive of the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center and a task force member.