City leaders testify in Topeka for multi-agency center

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – City leaders were in Topeka on Thursday lobbying for money to help the unhoused population.

Assistant City Manager Troy Anderson and councilwoman Becky Tuttle spoke in front of the House Committee on Welfare Reform Thursday afternoon. They shared data the city has collected from the emergency winter shelter.

Since Dec. 1, they say more than 1,000 people stayed there at least one night. They say those people could benefit from something like the proposed multi-agency center. The plan for the MAC is to have a shelter, low-income apartments, medical care, and 20 other services.

“So the functional net zero is, again, seeing more people coming out of homelessness and getting back into society than those folks that are going into homelessness,” Wichita assistant city manager Troy Anderson said.

The MAC is expected to cost $80 million, and the city is asking the state to help pay for it. Lawmakers are debating a bill that would set aside state money to pay for homeless shelters and programs in cities and counties. The bill is still in committee. It’s unknown if it will be debated in front of the full house.