On Dec. 14, 2023, the Board of County Commissioners entered a real estate agreement with the owner of the La Quinta at 9461 Lenexa Drive, including the former Denny’s restaurant at 9471 Lenexa Drive, which is not operational. The real estate agreement includes a very long review period for Johnson County to conduct due diligence activities, including obtaining a private appraisal, title review, evaluation of the environmental and property condition, securing a Special Use Permit for the intended use of the property, and successfully negotiating a buyout of the hotel franchise and covering these fees.

These activities are substantially complete, and many reports are complete across three categories, environmental review, physical inspections, property and title. All the contingencies must be satisfied to close on the property, which will happen around Oct. 31, 2024.

United Community Service of Johnson County managed the Request for Proposals process to identify an owner/operator for the center. The RFP was released in December 2023, and four agencies submitted proposals. The evaluation committee unanimously recommended the proposal submitted by reStart, Inc. to serve as the center’s owner and operator. That announcement occurred on May 1, 2024. reStart currently provides emergency and permanent housing services in the Kansas City Metro. Established in 1984, they provide support services for individuals, youth, families and veterans. There will be many opportunities for public education and engagement as the process continues.

Next steps include the Special Use Permit (SUP) process with the City of Lenexa. ReStart submitted that application on July 22. The project is tentatively scheduled for consideration at Lenexa’s planning commission meeting on Aug. 26, and then by the Lenexa City Council on Sept. 17. Learn more.

On August 22, county staff plan to come back to the BOCC with an action agenda item on a county financial contribution towards a proposed city/county fund. If approved, this fund would support reStart’s ongoing operations of the homeless services center. Learn more.

The public will have two opportunities to learn more about the project and ask questions at these informational meetings.

• Wednesday, August 21, 5:30-7 p.m., Sunset Drive Office Building, room 1070/1075 (11811 S. Sunset Dr., Olathe)
• Thursday, August 22, 5:30-7 p.m., Monticello Library, Monticello Community Meeting Room (22435 W. 66th Street, Shawnee)

The Johnson County Continuum of Care, made up of agencies that provide services to the unhoused, has been planning for a shelter for years but has never had the resources to purchase a facility. The county started contemplating its role in the solution in 2021 with the creation of the BOCC Housing Subcommittee. Guided by staff research and the work of the BOCC Subcommittee, the Federal COVID-19 funds presented a good opportunity for one-time contributions toward solutions.

Specific actions include:

• June 2022: The BOCC designated $6 million in ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for “unhoused solutions.”
• October 2022: The BOCC approved a $60,000 contract for Project Dignity to conduct a community planning process and produce recommendations for a property plan and service provision for a year-round, low-barrier, non-congregant shelter in Johnson County.
• December 2022: The Johnson County Housing Authority, in partnership with the Continuum of Care on Homelessness, received Board approval on the HOME-ARP Substantial Amendment. The amendment identified a non-congregant shelter as the singular priority for the $3.9 million federal allocation.
• April 2023: The BOCC adopted its 2023-2024 Strategic Priorities, which include planning for those experiencing homelessness. Also in April 2023, the BOCC accepted the Housing Subcommittee’s final report, which included a priority action to address homelessness.
• July 2023: The Dignity Project’s report was released, including key recommendations for a 50-bed non-congregate shelter. Find additional background information on the planning process.
• The Dignity Project’s recommendations, in addition to other research outlined in the previous question, helped scope the real estate search and the RFP for a building owner/operator. That work was conducted by county staff, with direction from the BOCC and Legal Counsel, in the interest of maintaining a competitive negotiating position, as Johnson County does with all property acquisition.
• December 2023: The BOCC released the terms of the purchase agreement in the Briefing Sheet.

Since December 2023, the BOCC has had several opportunities to study the project and take action. These actions are documented here.

Yes. Annual data, the experience of the agencies that provide housing services to vulnerable residents (called the Johnson County Continuum of Care on Homelessness), and two recent studies document the gaps in the housing crisis response system and outline how a homeless services center could help.

• In 2021, the federal government provided additional funding to local governments to serve the unhoused. Johnson County submitted a Needs Assessment and Gaps Analysis, along with extensive feedback from the public and human service agencies, in its a Substantial Amendment to its Approved Action Plan. The report showed that Johnson County has zero year-round beds for adults experiencing homelessness who are not justice involved or fleeing domestic violence and that, when compared to other possible uses for the federal funds, the highest priority need was shelter for adults.
• In 2023, the county engaged the Dignity Project to make recommendations about the type of shelter and services needed. Find additional background on the work of the Continuum of Care and the Dignity Project.

Homelessness is part of a larger challenge governments and individuals face around attainable housing. The Johnson County Housing Study identified “unseen homelessness” as a housing challenge, stating “Many do not realize the effects that housing prices have already taken on many households in Johnson County. Homelessness is present, even though many of these homeless have jobs. The cost of rent and other essential needs is high enough to price some households out of reliable options. These populations are increasing in Johnson County.”

reStart has committed to raising over $1 million in ongoing operating costs. They, along with other RFP respondents, requested a public subsidy to cover the rest of the projected budget. The public support allows some flexibility in fundraising timelines, diversifies their funding sources and strengthens their Special Use Permit application by providing matching funds and demonstrating community commitment to their mission.

The purpose of the proposed City/County operational fund is to provide an initial five-year operating subsidy and strengthen efforts to secure long-term funding from private philanthropy and grant dollars. reStart will convene cities and the county at the three-year and five-year marks to re-evaluate the need for public funds. 

City contribution requests were based on a population-based formula, totaling $0.76 per resident and increasing to $0.83 over five years. That means that the largest contribution was requested from Overland Park ($150,343), and the smallest from Mission Woods ($150). The BOCC will consider an action item to contribute a base funding of $50,000 per year plus about $12,000 for the unincorporated population soon.

The BOCC voted on July 25, 2024 to approve an Assignment Agreement with reStart, Inc. This is a legal agreement that defines the terms and scope of the ownership transfer of the hotel and restaurant properties from the county to reStart. The county agreed to purchase the real estate and provide funding to reStart for operating costs and capacity building and to reimburse a portion of the construction costs related to upgrading the facility. reStart agreed to own and operate the properties as a homeless services center, including applying for the Special Use Permit, performing building upgrades, working closely with the UCS Advisory and Oversight Board, and providing a certificate of insurance.

The agreement includes a 10-year deed restriction and reversionary clause, which restricts the primary use of the property to non-congregate shelter for a 10-year period; failure to do so requires the property, and any fixed improvements, to revert to county ownership.

The HOME-ARP funds are one-time funds from HUD that are intended to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability. Jurisdictions can choose how to allocate the funds they receive across seven eligible activities. Johnson County’s plan was to dedicate most of these funds to the acquisition and development of non-congregate shelter. However, two major barriers to using HOME-ARP funds for this project emerged: 1. Achieving HUD standards for noise mitigation and other requirements added more than a million in anticipated renovation costs; and 2. HUD estimated its review of the required environmental impact statement could take up to two years and, in the meantime, would prevent the county from closing on the real estate purchase.

The BOCC voted on July 25 to utilize $3.7 million in Countywide Support Funds to cover specific renovations and capacity building costs for reStart. The county will reallocate the HUD funds to other eligible activities, which will still support a reduction in homelessness and increase housing stability.

After an extensive property search, the property at 9461 Lenexa Drive was the best fit because it met the following unique criteria appropriate for a homeless services center:

• The distance from residential areas and schools (further than what is required).
• Located near public transportation and employment opportunities.
• Interior-facing doors to units for security and monitoring guest safety.
• Space for individual rooms, with additional room for day programming, flexible space for increasing the number of beds in emergencies (e.g., natural disasters) and administration areas for operators.  

The closest neighbors are commercial districts and there are few clear sight lines from nearby businesses to the hotel; essentially, its location along the frontage road and the building’s placement on the property make it fairly isolated.

The cost of land and new construction in Johnson County makes building new on a vacant site cost prohibitive. Additionally, the lot would need to meet the criteria mentioned in the above FAQ.

Right-sized office space is also hard to come by. Much of what was on the market was very large or contains a mixture of office and warehouse space, which is not a good fit for conversion to short-term housing and a homeless services center. Additionally, many office spaces are located in strip malls with a shared parking lot, which is not ideal.

Project 1020 is a cold weather shelter open between Dec. 1 and March 31. It operates from a church and is a congregate setting (no individual bedrooms or private bathrooms.) Project 1020 began in 2015, started by two concerned residents. As the program has grown, they have moved to different churches. An overnight-only program that is open from 6 p.m. to 8.a.m., they provide transportation to and from the shelter, a hot evening meal and a grab-and-go breakfast before clients must leave in the morning. Project 1020 is a faith-based operation run completely by volunteers.

The vision for the homeless services center is a 365-day-a-year, 24-hour-a-day facility operated by reStart, Inc. (established in 1981.) The model is a non-congregate shelter which means it will have about 50 private units with their own bathrooms (similar to hotel rooms.) At the center, residents would receive services and support to help them work towards securing stable permanent housing. During the day they could stay in the center and participate in job training and skills growing, receive health and/or mental health care, and connect with case managers to restore important documents, credit, or familial relationships. Those wrap-around services would be provided by professional staff from reStart, Johnson County Government and community partners such as Workforce Partnership, Johnson County Community College and Health Partnership Clinic.

The county contracted with United Community Services of Johnson County to manage the RFP process to identify an owner/operator for the homeless services center. The RFP was posted on Dec. 21, 2023, and proposals were due on Feb. 16, 2024. Four organizations submitted proposals.

UCS recruited a 16-member RFP Evaluation Committee with representation from the county, the City of Lenexa, the City of Overland Park and subject matter experts. The committee reviewed proposals and met four times for various activities, including interviews with proposers and deliberations. On April 29, the committee voted unanimously to recommend reStart, Inc.

UCS prepared a report detailing these activities and the Committee’s recommendations. The report states:

The Committee was impressed with reStart’s long history as a shelter provider and felt that they were well-equipped to meet the challenge in Johnson County. reStart’s vision aligned with the community’s objectives for the center, including their commitment to a low-barrier model, ongoing facility maintenance and proactive use of non-shelter space.

The county is thoroughly vetting the property to identify and scope any potential issues and mitigate risk. The BOCC set aside funding to conduct these reviews, which fall into three categories: environmental reviews, physical inspections, and property and title review. Several reports in each of these categories are complete and the full text is available. View a due diligence summary document and reports.

The homeless services center will provide 50 private units for short-term shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Residents will receive services and support to help them work towards securing stable permanent housing during their stay, which may last between 30-90 days. During the day, residents will be able to work, participate in job training and skills growing, receive health and/or mental health care, and connect with case managers to restore important documents, credit, or familial relationships.

The homeless service center will be staffed 24/7. We envision indoor communal areas (not for sleeping), an intake space, laundry facilities, storage for donations and operations and plenty of flexible space for on-site services. The Johnson County Mental Health Center will provide mental health support both on- and off-site.

Kitchenettes will be added to 25 hotel rooms and will serve as studio apartments for residents who are ready to leave shelter and begin paying rent but would benefit from continued access to the supportive services on-site.   

Because Johnson County has other shelters for people with children, this center will prioritize adults — men and women — without children in their care. Services, including emergency shelter, are available in Johnson County for people fleeing domestic violence, justice-involved individuals, and families with minor children. There are zero beds for people experiencing homelessness who do not have one of these other qualifying factors.

The total Point in Time count on Jan. 24, 2024, showed 250 people experiencing homelessness in Johnson County. The vast majority, 85%, were adults-only households.

• 77% were in a shelter or transitional living environment.
• 23% were unsheltered, meaning they were living outdoors, in tents or vehicles, or in other places not meant for human habitation. Ten years ago, there were seven unsheltered people in Johnson County.

No. The center will prioritize any adult, regardless of gender, who is experiencing homelessness. 

The center’s non-congregate model means that individuals or family groups will have private units, including in-unit bathrooms, which eliminates the need to set up separate spaces based on gender. Johnson County has shelter beds for adults with minor children, people fleeing domestic violence, and people who are justice-involved. The homeless services center will prioritize adults of any gender who do not fit one of these other categories because there are no other services available for them. 

Video FAQ available: What are the benefits of a non-congregate shelter?

No, the model here is a non-congregate shelter, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, commonly known as HUD, defines as “private units or rooms for temporary shelter for individuals and families and do not require occupants to sign a lease or occupancy agreement.” The rooms must have private toilet and shower facilities. They are not required to have private kitchens or living areas.

The facility will not have dorm-style sleeping units or shared bathroom facilities between unrelated households. These private spaces allow residents to feel more secure sleeping, have a secure space to store their personal items, and prevent further conflict, trauma or violence that is more common in congregate facilities.

No. The center will be staffed 24/7 and the residents staying there will be part of a program, which requires intake and agreements between the operator (reStart) and the individual. This is different than an emergency overnight-only model, which is where you might see a line for beds. Residents may enter the facility different ways (through a referral from another agency, or by calling and requesting to be part of the program, etc.) but will never need to wait outside. Given that an anticipated stay is 30-90 days, once in a unit, residents will not need to look for a bed each night. Learn more about Johnson County’s Coordinated Entry System.

Unhoused people will come into the homeless services center through Johnson County’s Coordinated Entry System (CES). The CES is a network of local agencies that work together to provide services to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and ensure that the services are timely and based on the severity of need. The following agencies can conduct a formal assessment for services: Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, the Salvation Army, Johnson County Mental Health Center, and (soon!) reStart, Inc. Individuals who need help can reach out to these agencies themselves or be connected by another agency that is helping them, such as a church, school, or social service agency.

Once assessed, unhoused individuals will be referred to the staff at reStart and invited into the program as space allows.

Unhoused people will come into the homeless services center through Johnson County’s Coordinated Entry System (CES). reStart will follow the Coordinated Entry System’s policies for fair and equal access, which comply with HUD requirements, per federal guidelines. The policy is:  

Fair and Equal Access KS-505 ensures fair and equal access to CES system programs and services for all clients regardless of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender identity, pregnancy, citizenship, familial status, household composition, disability, Veteran status, sexual orientation, or domestic violence status. Participants are not to be denied services due to their status of fleeing domestic violence or sexual assault.

However, most programs which could be used to help people with housing and income stability (e.g., Housing Choice Vouchers, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, or Medicaid for healthcare services) require people to be U.S. citizens. For this reason, in Johnson County, most people who are not citizens do not seek out benefits like shelter because they are not eligible for most programs that would help them exit. The experience of most of Johnson County’s emergency housing providers is that they are utilized by people who are citizens.

It is important to note that having or obtaining documentation is a common barrier to services and stability for households experiencing homelessness, regardless of citizenship status. As examples, individuals fleeing domestic violence often leave behind documentation or identification and individuals living in unsheltered homelessness don’t have a safe place to keep documentation or identification.

reStart’s focus will be providing services to people who need them in our community. Community members will not be turned away for not having documentation. Staff will support clients in obtaining documentation and identification as part of the supportive services envisioned for the homeless services center.

The homeless services center is intended to serve Johnson County residents experiencing homelessness, but people will not be turned away for not having documentation of residency. In fact, it is common for unhoused people to have lost or not have access to items that could prove residency, such as a driver’s license, a utility bill, a pay stub from a Johnson County business, enrollment paperwork from a local institution, or medical documentation from a Johnson County-area provider.

reStart and other referring partners will ask questions within HUD guidelines to determine a person’s connection to the area before enrolling them in services. Receiving housing assistance in a place where one already has connections (such as to a job or a social network) is ideal. Callers for shelter will be screened for services and if they are experiencing homelessness in another area, or primarily reside outside the county, staff will refer or assist them to find services closer to their location.

Today, without a homeless services center, Johnson County residents rely on out-of-county or out-of-state shelters. This separates them from their formal and informal supports — like friends and family, health care providers, and case workers — and makes achieving stable housing harder.

Video FAQ available: How would his facility be different than a typical homeless shelter?

No. Much like you are not forced to leave your home during the day, neither are residents. The vision for the center is a 24/7, service-rich, mental health-centered environment to help individuals experiencing homelessness stabilize, with the goal of successful relaunch into permanent housing.

The level of services envisioned is much higher than an overnight-only facility and will provide many opportunities for residents to remain in the center and pursue stable, permanent housing.

Mental health will be central to the services available at the homeless services center. The Johnson County Mental Health Center is hiring additional staff to expand its Homeless Services Team, which will increase services to unhoused people across the county, including serving clients who are staying at the homeless services center. Having a space to meet with clients will allow for on-site services such as case management, therapy, and crisis intervention. JCMHC already provides homeless street outreach services to engage homeless individuals in the community, build trust, and connect them with immediate basic needs and connections to community resources.

Funding for staff to provide these services is the result of partnerships across agencies and levels of government. The new JCMHC positions will be funded by a grant from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, which the County accepted in February 2024. The funds will allow JCMHC to hire six new members of the homeless outreach team, including a coordinator, a clinician, three case managers, and a peer support specialist to provide assessments, personalized care plans, therapy, other mental health supports, and assistance with basic needs for unhoused individuals in Johnson County. The expand team will be able to provide support to homeless services center clients from the time they are engaged by street outreach, choose to enter the center, and as they transition with support to permanent housing.

Yes. In fact, before the successful proposer (reStart) was announced, partners were reaching out and offering wrap around services such as health care, mental health services, workforce development, and educational opportunities. You can read more from each partner about the resources they can bring into the homeless services center. All of these are important services that can help individuals create a stable foundation upon which to build the next chapter in their lives. We expect many more partners to be added in the months to come. View letters of support.