Council reviews Topeka’s $8–14 million homelessness investments and updated encampment abatement rules

City housing and code officials presented a cross‑department summary on May 13 of Topeka’s spending and operational approach to unsheltered homelessness from 2022 through 2024 and outlined recent changes to encampment abatement procedures.

Why it matters: Officials said the city has spent millions on shelters, prevention and rehab programs and that abatement is resource‑intensive; the governing body discussed policy options including a “Topeka First” residency initiative and how to improve fee collection on private‑property abatements.

Housing Services Director Carrie Higgins told the governing body that over the three‑year span Topeka’s homeless initiatives totaled “a little over 8,000,000” and that, when homeless prevention and rehabilitation programs are included, the total exceeds “a little over 14,000,000” with roughly $5,500,000 in 2024 alone. Higgins said the majority of those sums came from federal and other grant sources including Shelter Plus Care, HEARTH Emergency Solutions Grant (HESG), HOME and CDBG funding; she identified Shelter Plus Care as a HUD program for chronically homeless persons with severe mental illness, chronic substance use or HIV/AIDS.

John Sherdine, property maintenance director, outlined abatement costs and process. He said a single cleanup of a large location recently cost about $250,000 and required approximately 1,200 man‑hours, and that public works, Parks and Recreation (WPC), code/PMU and the police department coordinate removals. Sherdine described procedural updates that include a required 30‑day wait after city‑manager approval to start abatements to allow outreach teams to engage, and said all structures are “marked clear” by TPD and PMU before removal and that operators take a “soft touch investigatory process” using machinery before removing structures.

Officials described outreach programs intended to reduce displacement and connect people to housing. Higgins summarized programs that include an Equity Access Shelter single point of access (a Built for Zero model), Impact Avenues (McKinney‑Vento wraparound services for homeless students and their families) and Shelter Plus Care. She said grant funds (HESG and social service grants) flow to community agencies through RFPs and partnerships.

City staff also summarized other supports: warming center coordination (EAS staff on site to conduct intake and assessments), collaboration with a behavioral health unit that checks encampments, and contingency planning for temporary approvals for overnight occupancy during extreme weather. Gretchen O’Donovan, business manager, was identified as available to provide a full cost breakdown on request.

Council discussion ranged across possible policy responses. Councilman Duncan urged consideration of a Topeka‑First residency initiative modeled on a Douglas County program that prioritizes services for people with local ties. Councilwoman Bodhivi flagged legislative developments outside Kansas, asked for more robust collection details and said the city should present its investments and outcomes to the state legislature. Several council members pressed staff for more data on how many encampments are on private property, how many fees have been recovered and an ongoing six‑month status report on abatements and collections.

Ending: Staff said they will prepare follow‑up materials including a breakdown of private‑property abatements and collections and will return with more detailed cost and program metrics; no ordinance or funding change was adopted at the meeting.