26 July 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Topeka city leaders are heading back to the drawing board to work out plan to combat the city’s growing homeless issue.
Earlier this year, the city hired Chicago-based Sylver Consulting to help come up with a plan of action. At a special meeting Tuesday, Topeka’s City Council heard from Sylver Consulting Innovation Coach Brianna Sylver for the first time since March.
In Sylver’s presentation, she broke down what she called the “path to innovation process.” it outlines three steps to approach homelessness: understand the problem before jumping to solutions, shape ideas for a maximum impact and implement those solutions into the world.
To begin this process, Sylver recommends the city name a team of eight to 12 members to work on the project. The group should be made up of city leaders and community members. The city has yet to accomplish building such a team.
Back in May, Sylver told the council former City Manager Stephen Wade pivoted away from the original plan. It was a decision the council said it was unaware of until just a few weeks ago. Then in June, the city held a two-day workshop to discuss the homeless plan moving forward. District 2 Councilmember Christina Valdiva-Alcala described workship as “a mess.”
“We don’t even have data,” Valdivia-Alcala said. “One of the things that was talked about during that whole day and a half is that we don’t even have enough data to start anything. I understand that I voted for this, but I can not continue to support it.”
With months of valuable time lost, council members are split on how to proceed. District 8 Councilmember Spencer Duncan said
“I do think that the outcomes you give us, that we can get to once this process is over. That includes some four, five six actionable focuses of areas, where if we can focus on those, can make a difference. I’m very positive about that,” Duncan said. “I am concerned that we’ve lost time with you over these last couple months because of that pivot.”
Sylver suggested the governing body should issue multiple updates to the public throughout this process. To date, they haven’t got past the first step of naming a board to oversee it.