20 April 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The “Point-In-Time Count” taken in January this year shows there has been a 20% increase in homelessness over the last five years.
Cole Schnieders, Continuum of Care Planning Manager at the United Way of the Plains, says the Wichita area has the resources available, but there are gaps.
“There are gaps in the way things are funded,” Schnieders said. “We have gaps in having enough case managers, we have gaps and have enough landlords to take our clients. We have gaps in just the mental substance abuse services. Some people need to really be deeply wrapped in services as they’re successful in housing.”
He says he has dedicated his few years in the role to collaboration among the different resources.
“Meeting with leadership of nonprofits, government, businesses to talk about what we’re seeing when it comes to homelessness, what we need and trying to fill those resources based off of what each entity can do for us,” Schnieders said. “So whether that’s filling in niches in nonprofit or looking at the way that we’re spending government funds to make sure that it’s all united in one collective impact.”
He says it comes down to a core issue.
“Homelessness is a housing problem, and at the end of the day, that’s what it is to get people out of homelessness,” Schnieders said. “We got to get them into housing. And so it takes all of our landlords, it takes all of our developers, it takes all of our business leaders to say yes to the folks experiencing homelessness, say yes to new construction, even our neighborhood association saying yes to new construction.”
Schnieders says it’s been a hard task as homelessness has increased.
“There’s just a flood of people coming in, whether that’s because of pandemic funds running out or just the cost of living right now is really high.,” Schnieders said. “The cost of being in apartments right now is really high. We’re seeing all those factors create an influx into homelessness as being really hard for us to tackle.”
He says the different entities need to work together rather than individually in order to make a lasting impact.
Their goal is to make it to functional zero, which is more people exiting homelessness than entering.
Sam Schrepel utilized the programs and organizations and overcame homelessness. She says people experiencing homelessness need assistance.
“Because I had rapid rehousing and now I’m on Section 8, I’m very grateful I never had to sleep on the street,” Schrepel said.
Troy Anderson is the assistant city manager for the City of Wichita and says they have the tools to create more affordable housing, and they must educate everyone on those tools, from tenants to landlords.
To learn more about the programs the City of Wichita offers, click here.