Commission members previously discussed ideas such as an Unhoused Bill of Rights or designating unhoused people as a protected class. During Monday’s meeting, Commission Chair Irving Kuo asked Douglas County’s homeless solutions director, Misty Bosch-Hastings, whether she believed unhoused people in Lawrence are being discriminated against, and Kuo said he was surprised by her response. Bosch-Hastings pointed to a reported drop in people sleeping outside over the past year.
The commission’s research comes as local data and funding considerations have been actively discussed. A Douglas County Homelessness Dashboard cited by city materials notes “actively homeless” counts and cautions that data may not capture everyone experiencing homelessness. Separately, the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation denied Lawrence’s application for Emergency Solutions Grant funding in part due to the city’s residency requirements, which limit access to ESG-funded services for those who can prove Douglas County residency. After discussion, the commission agreed to look at discrimination concerns and Elliott said he planned outreach for input from Lawrence’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board.