Lawrence 'tent city' provides people experiencing homelessness with safe camping

Lawrence's Camp Woody provides safe camping for homeless

NEW AT TEN --WITH ANOTHER WINTERSTORM ON THE HORIZON --THERE'S A UNIQUE SIGHTNEXT TO THE HOSPITAL INLAWRENCE.20 TENTS COMPLETE WITHELECTRICITY AND OTHERAMENITIES.BUT AS 41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER SARAH PLAKESHOWS US --THIS UNIQUE SOLUTIONWAS NEEDED -- FOR AN ALLTOO COMMON PROBLEM.How do you potentially build atemporary shelter for folkswho may be in transition so itmay lead to futureopportunities down the road...The City of Lawrence mighthave the answers to theincreasing need in theirhomeless community: CampWoody - a permitted campsitenext to Lawrence MemorialHospital made up of 20 tents.We actually have lessproblems with 20 to 22 peoplein this camp than I do in anarea of the city that is anunsanctioned unsupervisedhomeless site..After the COVID-19 pandemicBEGAN, the city noticed morepeople camping outside andrequesting more services withnot enough places to go.The city used 377,000 dollarsin CARES Act funding to buildthis campsite - equipped withheaters and electricity in eachtent along with laundryfacilities and restrooms. Thecity staffs the site 24/7.They act more like a close-knitcommunitWhile this is a temporarysolution brought on byCOVID-19, it's shining a lighton how much our communitiesneed a permanent solutioIt is not meant to be a housingsolution.Bert Nash Community MentalHealth is partnering with thecity, providing resources on-site to get Camp Woodyresidents on to stable jobs andhousing.It does prove and show wecan have safe camping incommunity..but we need to focus onhousing and that's whereservice providers come in,federal dollars, landlords, theprivate sector.Bert Nash RECEIVEDadditional Rapid Rehousingfunding to do risk assessmentfor the more than 200 peoplewho are currently unsheltered.The city hopes Camp Woodycan serve as a modeleverywhere.Housing people with supportsis a solution.

It provides ahigher quality of life foreveryone involved, it mitigatecrime, mitigates all kinds ofthings.Sarah Plake 41 Action News.