Homeless Solutions Division

We believe every person deserves access to safe and affordable housing and the essential services that help them thrive. Our team works with our community members and partners to establish policies and services that will end chronic homelessness in Lawrence and Douglas County.
A Place for Everyone
Our Plan
To end chronic homelessness in Lawrence and Douglas County
Community Resources
Our Partners
How to help people in need
Emergency Shelter
Sufficient Options
Available at every stage of the Continuum
Affordable Housing

A Place for Everyone

A Place for Everyone is the community plan for Lawrence and Douglas County to end chronic homelessness. Our goal: By 2028, we will create a system that achieves functional zero through policy, system, and environmental changes resulting in all Douglas County residents having access to the fundamental human right of safe, accessible, attainable, and affordable housing, and in which homelessness is a rare and brief occurrence.

The goals of this plan are formulated in five work areas being addressed:

  • Equity and Inclusion
  • Affordable Housing
  • Supportive Housing
  • Systems
  • Emergency Shelter and Services

We’ve identified an overwhelming need to increase availability in these three categories of shelter:

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Affordable Housing

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Emergency Shelter

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Supportive Housing

As we work to increase affordable housing, emergency shelter and services, and supportive housing, we need to be intentional in the way we do the work. Equity & Inclusion and Systems are the two primary considerations to how we do our work.

More information and the goals of each work area are detailed in the Homelessness Report.

Homelessness Report

Community Resources

Do you know someone in need of shelter? Contact our emergency helpline to get in touch with a member of our team: (785) 813-9483. We work with our partners to find safe, indoor shelter for anyone in need.

How it works: We partner with the Bert Nash Homeless Outreach Team to ensure every person staying at a known campsite has been given an opportunity to relocate indoors.

Our community has a variety of resources available to help people in need. A comprehensive list can be found in our Community Resources Guide.

Community Resource Guide
Campsite Reporting Form

Emergency Shelter Solutions

To achieve functional zero with homelessness, our community needs to have sufficient options available at every stage of the Douglas County Housing Continuum. Within this continuum, the City of Lawrence is focused on ensuring our community has enough emergency shelter and enough affordable housing. Our community partners are taking the lead on other housing continuum options.

Lawrence and Douglas County Housing Needs Continuum

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Emergency Shelter

Temporary, short-term housing for individuals experiencing homelessness
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Transitional Housing

Temporary housing assistance that helps individuals transition from homelessness to permanent housing
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Supportive Housing

Affordable housing coupled with supportive services that enable residents to stay healthy and housed
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Affordable Rental Housing

Temporary, short-term housing for individuals experiencing homelessness
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Affordable Homeownership

Long-term/permanent housing assistance that uses rental subsidies to make the rent affordable to the tenant
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Market Rate Housing

No house subsidv or assistance

The Village

Pallet Shelter VillageThe City of Lawrence is working with the Lawrence Community Shelter to operate The Village at 256 N. Michigan St. The Village provides 50 modular shelter homes in a support village setting. The Village is a pathway to permanent housing that provides a transition for people experiencing homelessness. The modular shelters include heating and cooling and are integrated in the village setting with restrooms, laundry, showers and community gathering and support service offices.

The Village is currently operational with new residents moving in and adapting. Day-to-day shelter operations are managed by Lawrence Community Shelter.

Lawrence Community Shelter

The Lawrence Community Shelter (LCS) is the primary emergency shelter for Lawrence. The City of Lawrence works closely and provides funding to LCS to assist with their operations. More information on LCS is on their website: https://www.lawrenceshelter.org