KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners allocated over $6.3 million previously planned to support the proposed Homeless Services Center project, which was rejected by the Lenexa City Council back in September.
The $6.35 million of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds were required to be reallocated by Dec. 31.
Despite the City of Lenexa voting to deny the permit required for the project to continue, the Johnson County BOCC told staff to return with proposals for projects that support those on the Johnson County Housing Continuum.
The approved allocations break down as follows:
- $2.47 million to Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City to acquire land to build a 50+ home development in Johnson County;
- $3.1 million to Friends of Johnson County Developmental Supports to purchase and renovate properties to create affordable multi-family housing units for individuals served by Johnson County Developmental Support or Johnson County Mental Health;
- $467,346 to the Salvation Army for its Family Shelter Expansion;
- $137,654, to Project 1020 to support operations of the county’s only cold-weather emergency shelter for adults;
- $175,000, to United Community Services for the purpose of housing system investments.
Plans of a homeless services center at the location of the La Quinta hotel at 95th Street and Interstate 35 were first discussed back in December of 2023.
Under the proposal, the county would have converted the space into 50 non-congregate shelter units and 25 transitional housing units and would have offered support services.
The shelter would have been run by reStart, a Kansas City-based nonprofit.
The plan also included remodeling a former Denny's restaurant located next to the hotel into storage and potential office space.
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