photo by: City of Lawrence

People fill the chamber at City Hall and the overflow space in the lobby during the public comment section of the City Commission's meeting on Dec. 13, 2022.

Story updated at 10:51 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13:

City leaders on Tuesday heard from 30 people who opposed the decision to close down a city-managed campsite for people experiencing homelessness, with many expressing frustration, outrage and sadness at the decision.

Among those who spoke to the Lawrence City Commission during public comment Tuesday was a resident of the camp named Zachary, who said he’d been in and out of homelessness for a while. Breaking down in tears, he said the community he’s found at the camp has helped him.

“But from what I’ve seen there is so many amazing people there that really help. It’s so great to see people who really have nothing, but can help so severely in your life,” he said before putting his head down on the lectern at City Hall and crying.

Brandon Snow said he’s also been staying in the camp. Snow said he has a bed, a couch and a table at the camp that as far as he knows will be bulldozed at anytime. He said he couldn’t just move those things down to the city’s winter emergency shelter, nor does he want to because he’s comfortable where he is now.

“I just would appreciate it if you maybe put yourself in our shoes before you made these decisions for us,” Snow said.

As the Journal-World reported Monday afternoon, the city has started clearing the campsite in preparation for closing it. The city’s Homeless Programs Team has been transitioning 10 to 15 people at a time, with plans to have the entire camp cleared by the end of January. The city is encouraging camp residents to use the city’s emergency shelter at the Community Building, 115 E. 11th St. The emergency shelter is open from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. nightly and has room for 75 people, with overflow for up to 40 additional people at the East Lawrence Recreation Center, 1245 E. 15th St.

Other camp residents said there were some issues at the camp when it was first opened, but that many of those had been worked out and that those who lived there now looked out for and supported one another. Jennifer Adams, who has been helping the city run the camp in a peer support position, said the camp brought some people out of the woods who had been living out there alone, and that while it “started off rocky with a lot of problems,” people had adjusted.

“They are doing it,” Adams said. “They are actually figuring out what it takes to get back to life, to get back inside.”

Adams, who has a housing voucher but hasn’t been able to find somewhere to rent, said that when one person at the camp is having problems, others try to support them. She said closing the camp was not the way to go, and she hoped the city figured out something different.

Tim Olson said he had been living at the camp, but was able to move into housing this week. Olson said while there were some issues when the camp first opened, headway had been made. He said people were helping each other understand how to better navigate their situations, making a kitchen and otherwise working together. Like some others, Olson said people had possessions in their tents, and they couldn’t just pack up and walk away with it all.

“It’s going to be in the dumpster tomorrow,” Olson said. “… They are taking everything that we’ve got. We’ve built up a little something, a family.”

Another camp resident, Tiffany Hawk, said that she didn’t feel safe in the large groups at the emergency shelter, but that she did feel safe in her tent.

“You guys don’t understand,” she said. “Taking this away is taking away our homes.”

Other Lawrence residents who don’t live in the camp also spoke in opposition to the upcoming closure.

Nancy Snow, a University of Kansas philosophy professor who specializes in ethics, moral psychology and virtues, said that the city’s actions were morally reprehensible. She asked what purpose the closure was supposed to serve, and said that the city should actually listen to the camp residents regarding their needs.

“These people are people; they are members of our community,” she said. “It is our responsibility to take care of them and take care of what they need.”

Natalya Lowther said she was outraged at the closure of the camp “in such an abrupt and heartless manner.” Lowther said the short notice given people to move — only a few days — was unacceptably cruel. She said the camp gave people hope in improving their lives, and an alternative might be to slowly close the camp through attrition.

Several people also questioned the process and why the decision appeared to have been made administratively without being voted on by the City Commission. Melinda Lavon said she hoped that the commission demanded better communication from its staff and that conversations regarding better coordination would occur.

The commission did not discuss the issue immediately following the public comment period of its meeting nor later in its meeting. However, Vice Mayor Bart Littlejohn commented toward the end of the meeting that he recognized people in the community are hurting and encouraged people to volunteer to help support the city’s efforts to provide indoor emergency shelter.

“I know nothing’s perfect, but we do the best we can with what we can,” Littlejohn said.