Wichita community leaders have announced the development of a temporary emergency winter shelter for the homeless in the community. The announcement was made during Mayor Brandon Whipple’s weekly news conference on Thursday at City Hall.
Mayor Whipple said the shelter will be established in the former Fundamental Learning Center building near 21st and Grove. He said it will house up to 250 people. The property is gated and there will be a single entry point, with 24/7 security personnel on site. The city is looking to provide free transit services to allow people to access the site. Whipple said this will not be a permanent site, but it will allow for the city to work with Humankind Ministries and other partners on long-term solutions for homelessness.
Humankind Ministries will operate the shelter and the agency will provide about $200,000 toward the cost, to cover supplies, equipment, beds and set up expenses. The city and other partners will providing funding, staffing, security, utilities and other services. The shelter is expected to have 35 to 40 full-time and part time staff. Humankind president and chief executive officer LaTasha St. Arnault said the announcement represents the most promising public and private endeavor the community has ever undertaken to reduce homelessness. St. Arnault said the shelter will serve individual men and women, and it will free up Humankind facilities to provide services to families.
The Wichita City Council will be asked to approve a budget for the shelter at its next meeting on Tuesday, November 7th. Assistant City Manager Troy Anderson said the total budget for the shelter is expected to be around $885,000 to operate the shelter for 22 weeks. Talks are continuing with Sedgwick County officials and state lawmakers about providing funding and other support. County Commissioner Ryan Baty said the next step will be to identify the funding gap and determine what the county’s role will be. He said the temporary shelter will avoid a crisis and save lives, and the conversation will continue. Baty said he’s confident that the county will be involved in the discussions to work toward a long-term community plan to help the homeless.
A date for the opening of the shelter has not been determined, but Anderson said it would take about three weeks to bring resources together and he expects the shelter to be open in late November or early December.
