What should the city of Topeka's role be regarding homelessness? Council candidates reply
The eight candidates for Topeka City Council seats in the Nov. 7 general election agree that Topeka's city government should play a role in dealing with homelessness here.
But they share differing perspectives about how to go about doing that.
At a time of increased concern about homelessness here, with the city having made it a priority this year to deal with that problem, The Capital-Journal last month asked council candidates, "What should the city's role be regarding the homeless?"
Here's what they said.
Topeka City Council District 2: Craig McCullah
I believe the City’s priority should be ensuring public safety and the current surge in homelessness creates many challenges to achieving that. We cannot allow individuals to set up camp wherever they please but, in order to prevent this, we’ll need to give them somewhere to go. I propose a combination of small urban campgrounds (6-10 camp sites with a basic public restroom), supportive housing with 4-6 rooms, shared living and kitchen areas), and small pocket communities of tiny home villages 8-12 homes. These options are less expensive than the current approach, easier for police to patrol, easier for organizations to provide services, and will keep encampments from ruining our city.
Some argue that providing services and care for these individuals just perpetuates the problem; I disagree. I think our current approach to homelessness perpetuates the problem and that blaming faith-based organizations attempting to provide care to other human beings is neither constructive nor warranted. We cannot let homeless individuals who are often mentally ill, drug addicts, or both, threaten our public safety and ruin citizen’s property values so we must manage this issue better. That starts by getting them off our streets and into a more structured environment.
Topeka City Council District 2: Christina Valdivia-Alcala
For almost four years I have been vocal on the unsheltered and subsequent increase in crime, squatting, fires, etc. in District 2. All people have human rights, including the unsheltered. However, so does the housed community. Public health and safety are at risk with this crisis. The city should provide oversight and collaborative flexing for dealing with the homeless crisis. The city must help end silo mentalities that exist with agencies that interface with the unsheltered and needs to be firm with breaking down the territoriality of historically unquestioned organizations. The city must pose serious critical, consistent, and transparent questions towards its own policies and others that deal with homelessness.
The city is leading with the implementation of a camping ordinance, with the creation of Equity. Access. Shelter, and the concerted effort being planned at this moment with partner agencies for a true long-range homelessness plan. Through the Policy & Finance committee, I and other committee members worked intentionally to help with both homelessness and mental health as these were high priority as part of the $10 million in ARPA funding allocations. The city needs to make sure we have the best grant writers available to tap into additional state and federal dollars.
Topeka City Council District 4: David Banks
Currently, the city has invested money in a consultant and it is important for everyone to have full participation in the process by giving feedback but then following up on action steps. Additionally, we have programs in place, but unless the concerns from the 2020 housing study are addressed by increasing low to moderate income housing options, we will continue to have a problem. The current system, and the system we have been funding, is not working and not meeting the needs of the homeless population.
Topeka City Council District 4: Dave Brede
Like all municipalities, Topeka must provide all citizens with safety, services, and resource access. The city should offer shelter and limited affordable housing to homeless individuals. The recently passed Camping Ordinance is a step in the right direction. However, allowing individuals to camp on public lands and along riverbanks within city limits regardless of prescribed distances doesn’t fully address the safety concerns expressed by citizens regarding accessibility of public spaces, use of recreational trails, and the environmental impact caused by trash and waste. Topeka can increase the ordinance's restrictions, satisfy these concerns, and remain in compliance with provisions set by the 9th Judicial District Court’s ruling in Martin vs. Boise. The Continuum of Care leadership of the Homeless Task Force can still demonstrate compassionate care and treatment without enablement. The city needs to establish a system to rapidly assess and identify the needs of the individual and match them with appropriate services or housing options.
Topeka City Council District 6: Craig Dunstan
Homelessness is a nationwide problem. According to the “2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress” produced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) there were 582,462 people experiencing homeless on a single night in January 2022.
Topeka’s 2023 annual Point in Time count of unsheltered people on January 25 showed 412 people and 322 households were experiencing homelessness in Topeka and Shawnee County. 157 of these people were unsheltered, meaning they were not living in an emergency shelter or transitional housing.
With high inflation, especially on food and gas, many families must decide whether to feed their family, buy gas for their car to get to work, or pay the rent or mortgage. Kansas City, Missouri enacted a “Right to Council” program to prevent evictions and provide free legal assistance.
Topeka has 1 million dollars in the affordable housing trust fund and a Strategic Land Bank. It is estimated that Topeka has a citywide vacancy rate of 11 percent. Many of these houses could be put in the Strategic Land Bank and be renovated to be used as affordable housing.
Topeka City Council District 6: Marcus D.L. Miller
The city has a significant role to play in addressing homelessness. It's essential to approach this issue with compassion, empathy, and a multi-faceted strategy. First and foremost, we need to ensure that homeless individuals have access to safe and clean shelter. I support the expansion of homeless shelters and transitional housing options in Topeka. Additionally, we should work closely with local nonprofits, social service agencies, and mental health professionals to provide comprehensive support services. This includes mental health counseling, addiction treatment, job training, and access to healthcare. Homelessness is often a symptom of deeper issues, and addressing these root causes is essential for long-term solutions. I'll also advocate for affordable housing initiatives and explore opportunities to collaborate with developers to create affordable housing units. If elected, I look forward to participating in the 2024 zoning/ planning commission conversation. By providing stable housing options, we can help individuals and families escape the cycle of poverty and homelessness.
Topeka City Council District 8: Spencer Duncan
It must be a multi-level approach. I co-sponsored the camping restrictions ordinance to protect the rights and safety of our citizens, while ensuring the needs of the unsheltered are not ignored. We must continue to put resources into programs that help those truly in need, particularly as it relates to housing and mental health and addictions struggles. And we must better enforce laws already in place, from loitering to littering to panhandling and waste disposal. We also need to develop a program that brings all our citywide social service organizations to the table on a regular basis to review services, problem solve and support one another – this model has worked in other cities.
Topeka City Council District 8: Chris Phelps
I think the city’s role is multi-faceted. The first thing is the city needs to stop thinking of homeless as homeless and think of them as souls. The “homeless” community is just like you and I, they have needs, dreams and desires. They seek a safe environment that they can live and thrive in. Once the city starts to look at it from that stand point then they can start to develop plans to help these souls.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka City Council candidates talk about dealing with homelessness
