Coinciding with the opening of The Village in March 2024, the City’s Homeless Solutions Division has been working with individuals staying at Camp New Beginnings and nearby campsites in the North Lawrence Commercial District to relocate. There were 65 people staying in camps in the North Lawrence Commercial District in March when we started preparing for camp closure. Since that time, approximately 55 individuals have exited street homelessness and our team is finalizing next steps into shelter for approximately 10 more people.
Over the past year, the City has worked with our partners to address the deficit of emergency sheltering units and services in our community. With the addition of new sheltering options like The Village, we now have capacity to shelter up to 175 individuals nightly in our community. While this is great progress, we recognize that more emergency shelter is needed, including for families with children. These needs are identified in A Place for Everyone, our community’s plan to end homelessness.
We will continue building shelter capacity proportionate to the needs of our community, and in the meantime we are pleased that current capacity can accommodate the individuals who have been camping in the North Lawrence Commercial District.
Our Homeless Solutions Division developed a model for closing campsites that uses best practices and person-centered case management, accounting for the unique needs of each person we are assisting.
We began with those staying in the North Lawrence Commercial District because we had relationships with people at and near Camp New Beginnings that allowed us to utilize our person-centered approach. Once we have relocated all individuals in the North Lawrence Commercial District camps, then we will begin addressing other camping areas in our community. Our team will work sequentially through camp locations taking into account the capacity of shelter units, supportive services, and the unique needs of individuals who are camping.
On Tuesday, April 16, the City will close the North Lawrence Commercial District campsite, removing electricity, water, Wi-Fi and other resources. If anyone remains camping in the North Lawrence Commercial District after their camps have been closed, they will be trespassed; however, we are actively working with these individuals and feel that trespassing will not be necessary. Each person faces unique circumstances and may need to be in the area up until the camp closure deadline. We are sensitive and understanding of this and will do our best to handle this situation compassionately while still expecting compliance with the laws that apply to all residents.
Update on The Village
There are approximately 40 individuals at The Village right now, with some moving out soon because they have already secured housing. Some of those empty units will be filled by Monday with eligible individuals who are leaving the camps in the North Lawrence Commercial District.
The Lawrence Community Shelter and our other partners in A Place for Everyone are doing amazing work and the community is starting to see positive outcomes resulting from its commitment to build a homeless response system — a system that virtually did not exist when the pandemic and housing crisis hit our community. We are not only seeing people leave unsheltered homelessness for safe shelter, but we’re seeing people obtain housing, which is the solution to homelessness.
Media Contact: Maureen Brady, Brand Manager | mbrady@lawrenceks.org
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