On Sept. 17, 2024, the Lenexa City Council voted to deny a Special Use Permit that would have been required for reStart to own and operate the proposed Homeless Services Center.

Due to that decision, on Sept. 19, the BOCC voted to terminate the real estate purchase agreement with MAA Krupa Lenexa LLC for the La Quinta property and terminate the assignment agreement with reStart.

The BOCC also directed staff to develop new options for $6.3 million in federal COVID funding with an emphasis on housing programs and services. Learn more in this news release.

I have been heartened by the robust community conversation being had about homelessness in Johnson County, and the consensus that now is the time to address what is currently a manageable level of homelessness. Thank you to every person who has participated in this important conversation.  More importantly, thanks to those who will continue working toward solutions. 

I am deeply disappointed in the Lenexa City Council’s denial of reStart’s SUP application which prevents what I and many others feel is the right solution, at the right place and at the right time. Despite this setback, the work must continue.  

The need to fill gaps in services for our unhoused community members still exists. We still have residents who need a solution to get them off the streets. Our unhoused population needs programs to help them find permanent housing, employment, mental health services, and assistance with rent and utilities.

Thank you to reStart for all of the hard work towards the vision of a homeless services center. I want to thank my colleagues on the Board of County Commissioners for their leadership and navigation through some tough policy decisions and the staff of Johnson County Government who have been working tirelessly on this issue for many months. 

We look forward to continued collaboration with our partners as we continue to address the housing crisis in our community, from sheltering unhoused individuals to expanding permanent, affordable housing.  Again, I welcome all partners — cities, private entities, faith based organizations, and others — to join us.  While I appreciate that conversations are crucial, they must be met with courage and the willingness to take tangible actions in the near future.

The Board of County Commissioners' adopted priorities for 2023-2024 include “convene stakeholders and other partners to improve housing options for the resident needs identified in the Johnson County Housing Continuum” and planning for those experiencing homelessness. As part of that priority, the Board entered a real estate purchase contract for a building to serve as a homeless service center in Johnson County. Read more in this news release and this briefing sheet. Learn more about the county’s efforts to support those with housing and homeless assistance.

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