May 16, 2024

The BOCC held a study session to get a longer project update than can be provided in a regular board meeting. The topics included: the final recommendations from UCS, who was contracted to run the request for proposals process to identify an owner/operator for the homeless services center; an introduction to reStart, Inc., the agency unanimously selected by the RFP Evaluation Committee; an update on the County’s due diligence activities on the property; and a financial update. View the study session presentation, RFP recommendation and due diligence overview.

April 18, 2024

The BOCC approved an amendment to the real estate contract to extend the closing date deadline by eight weeks, to on or around Oct. 31, 2024. The BOCC also approved an additional $350,000 to pay the seller’s franchise liquidation fee, which ended up being higher than originally anticipated once the county was able to review the seller’s franchise agreement with the hotel. More information is available in this briefing sheet. 

Feb. 22, 2024

Six new positions will be added to the Johnson County Mental Health Center homeless outreach services team of two. On Feb. 22, the BOCC voted to accept a grant from the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services that will help JCMHC meet an increasing need in our community. As you’ll see in this news release, local data shows 56% of individuals contacted during the county’s 2023 point-in-time count reported mental health as a factor in their household. You can also learn more about this service expansion in this briefing sheet.

Dec. 14, 2023

The BOCC voted to enter a real estate purchase agreement with MAA Krupa Lenexa, LLC to purchase two properties: a hotel located at 9461 Lenexa Drive and a closed restaurant at 9471 Lenexa Drive. The BOCC approved a total purchase price of $6 million for the two buildings, plus $500,000 for due diligence activities. The funds come from the federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The contract includes 270 days of due diligence. Learn more in this briefing sheet. Read the real estate contract.

Johnson County and its partners have been working on the issue of homelessness for several years. Please learn more in the following timeline and links.

• In 2021, the results of the comprehensive Johnson County Community Housing Study were released.
• The Board received a results report at their Committee of the Whole session on April 2021. At that meeting, the Board created the Housing Subcommittee (Commissioners Allenbrand, Fast and Hanzlick) to work with community partners and county staff.
• The Housing Subcommittee made reports to the full board of Sept. 30, 2021, April 28, 2022 and April 6, 2023. (Learn more about their work in our Housing and Homelessness Assistance Guide.) The subcommittee’s recommendations included addressing homelessness, specifically supporting community efforts to create a homeless shelter.
• In July 2023, Johnson County received a report with cover letter from Dignity Project that built on a series of studies to consider action to address homelessness. The county helped fund the report as part of a planning grant to explore the need for and viability of a homeless shelter in the community. The report outlined a 50-bed, non-congregate shelter for adults experiencing temporary or sporadic homelessness, staffed 24/7. It recommended the shelter include services like intensive case management and wrap-around services with a goal to stabilize and re-launch clients into permanent housing after about a 90-day stay.

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. The remaining reports in process should be completed around June 30.