Wichita leaders and providers outline systemwide approach to homelessness; unsheltered count rising

City officials and community providers spent the workshop session detailing a multi‑agency effort to reduce homelessness in Wichita and Sedgwick County, citing data that show a steady overall count but growing unsheltered numbers.

Matt Lowe of the Coalition to End Homelessness in Wichita and Sedgwick County said the 2025 point‑in‑time count tallied 736 people and that unsheltered homelessness rose from 124 in 2022 to 195 in 2025. “That’s a significant increase over the last four years,” Lowe said, adding that the community’s by‑name list currently includes about 1,190 people.

Lowe described the local continuum of care structure required by HUD and said federal grant rules are changing: the community currently receives roughly $3,000,000 annually through the Continuum of Care, he said, and the latest HUD notice limits the portion of funds that can be guaranteed for permanent housing to 30 percent, with the rest competitive. Lowe warned that the change could force the system to prioritize transitional housing, street outreach and workforce‑oriented supports.

Kenny Barker, homeless program supervisor at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, highlighted veteran‑specific work that helped Wichita approach “functional zero” for veterans. Barker pointed to HUD‑VASH and coordinated case conferencing, noting the VA region’s average voucher‑to‑housing time and a recidivism rate under 5 percent for veterans placed in permanent housing.

Dan Clifford and James Roberts reported on Second Light (formerly the Multi‑Agency Center), which is operating shelter‑plus‑services and is expanding construction. Clifford said Second Light’s winter shelter plus services will open earlier this season and that the campus expects a total capacity of about 295: roughly 170 in shelter‑plus‑services programming and 125 for emergency winter shelter.

Speakers described operational improvements: a real‑time shelter‑availability app (under contract discussions), landlord engagement software launched with Healthy Blue (NextTenet) listing more than 1,100 units in portfolios, and a data‑driven coordinated entry process to prioritize the most vulnerable. Lowe said the coalition has housed 356 veterans since a 2023 initiative and reported an average 52 days from identification to move‑in for those prioritized.

Council members asked detailed questions about capacity for families, how many openings shelters currently have and whether the system should require residency. Lowe said the majority of people served had been in Sedgwick County at least a year (about 81 percent), but noted 19 percent originated outside the county; he encouraged discussions with neighboring jurisdictions on shared responsibility.

The workshop also examined funding and staffing gaps. Officials and providers urged more investment in street outreach and case management to keep people housed and reduce returns to homelessness. “Housing is the cheapest solution long‑term,” Lowe said, estimating ongoing housing and case‑management supports cost roughly $6,000–$7,000 per person per year, compared with higher emergency‑service costs.

The presentation closed with requests for continued intergovernmental coordination, HUD application strategy to maximize competitive funds, and follow‑up work on shelter capacity and targeted supports for people with complex medical or behavioral‑health needs. The council took no formal action at the workshop; staff indicated some items will return for consideration in upcoming budget and grant cycles.