13 September 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Topeka City Council took a big step forward in helping fix the homeless issue in our community, but one Topeka resident says more needs to be done.
In a previous council meeting, the governing body discussed possible solutions to help with the growing homeless problem in our community. The harshest of them was to ban camping within 500 feet of a public trail and 50 feet from a sidewalk. This was approved in Tuesday night’s meeting.
Within the last two weeks there have been 84 active encampments accounted for in the Capital City with a homeless count of 412 people. Although it’s estimated that number is closer to 500.
With the 500-foot camping restriction from a trail approved – that will eliminate 77 of the encampments.
However, one Topeka resident says the problem stems much further than encampments off the trails in areas like districts two and five.
“The event that I recounted was taking my granddaughter to Evergy Plaza to play in the water fountain and things,” Topeka resident Nick Xidis said. “She’s six years old, that’s what a six-year-old should be doing. She was disturbed and took my hand as we were walking and said ‘Grandpa, the last time we were here there was a woman bathing her privates.'”
Xidis tells 27 News he wants the council to consider second-offense violations of a minimum of 100 dollars and or a five-day imprisonment for those who don’t follow the rules.