homelessness

People living in homeless encampments say Missouri and Kansas cities have been more aggressive about enforcement since a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision. Plus: Latino communities in Wichita are on edge after immigration agents asked a bus full of people to present proof of citizenship.

In many Midwestern cities, even those without camping bans, officials are more aggressive with removing encampments from public spaces. People experiencing homelessness say they’re moving frequently and experiencing anxiety.

ReStart Inc., a nonprofit homelessness services provider, converted a vacant midtown Kansas City hotel into short-term furnished apartments for families experiencing homelessness. The Family Lodge is a 45-unit complex with on-site social services to support families in their transition to permanent housing.

The Valor House is located at the St. Michael's Veterans Center, which offers permanent housing to homeless veterans in Kansas City. Its campus now has three housing complexes with 179 units for veterans.

Schools around the Kansas City metro are working to connect families with food, housing and other resources to make sure kids have the support they need until they return to class in the fall. Here's where to find free meals, mental health support and more.

The city of Gardner, Kansas, last month banned camping in public spaces, including in parks and staying overnight in cars, threatening fines and jail time. Advocates say that penalizes people for "having nowhere else to be," and doesn't actually solve the issue.

An increasing number of Kansas City families have jobs but still need shelter or assistance, due to the gap between the wages they earn and the cost of housing. It’s a formula for rising homelessness.

During the winter season, shelters and unhoused resources have to grapple with fluctuating weather conditions and influxes of demand. Shelter leaders are preparing for this weekend — and the rest of the winter.

For much of Kansas City’s homeless population, seeking medical treatment is not only hard, it can also be demeaning. One nurse practitioner made it her mission to change that.

The Kauffman Foundation recently gave its first “Uncommon Leader” award, along with a $150,000 prize, to a nurse practitioner from Swope Health Services who has been delivering heath care to homeless individuals for more than a decade. The committee cited the way Dr. Rachel Melson focuses on restoring dignity to the treatment of unhoused residents.

The Kansas City Council created a Housing Trust Fund seven years ago to support the development of more affordable units. In 2025, the city saw some of its first projects come to life — but the money is running out next year.

The bags contain a variety of essential, everyday items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, first-aid kits and water, as well as cold-weather items such as gloves and socks during the winter.