County commissioners will use federal funds to help create a new year-round shelter for those experiencing homelessness in Johnson County.

Commissioners approved the $4 million grant from the American Rescue Plan 5-1 at their Thursday, December 8 meeting.

The county will have ten years to spend the grant.

Charlotte O’Hara, commissioner, voted against the grant and Janee Hanzlick, commissioner, was absent.

The shelter will be a non-congregate hotel- style shelter that allows guests to have their own private spaces. It will be the first shelter to be open all year in the county.

Local advocates and religious leaders have been reaching out to the county to help with the homeless issue in Johnson County; including Good Faith Network and Project 1020.

Project 1020 is the county’s only emergency winter shelter for single adults.

Barb McEver, Project 1020 founder, said the non-profit organization opened its door last week and has filled 30 beds each night so far.

Rita Carr, United Community Services community planning director, said the number of people experiencing homelessness, staying outside or living in their cars has risen in the county.

O’Hara said she worried accepting federal money and certain regulations would lead to changes in rezoning laws and a loss of local control for the county.

Becky Fast, commissioner, said it fell within the county’s housing goals.

“This is right in line with the priorities of what the community wants, what our first UCS data stated, what our subcommittee brought forth, what this commission adopted,” she said. “I don’t see this out of line at all.”

A commission subcommittee began discussing the issue in Spring 2021. In October of this year, the Board of County Commissioners approved $60,000 in federal Covid-19 funding for a feasibility study for a county homeless shelter. They also approved $800,000 for the county’s 40 food pantries, $500,000 for cold weather response through a hotel voucher program, $250,000 for utility assistance with the Aging and Utility Assistance program and $250,000 for Project 1020 in Lenexa. Last month $75,000 was approved for a program to connect individuals experiencing substance abuse and homelessness that also includes $60,0000 for Friends of Recovery Addiction’s Oxford Houses.

Tim Suttle, Good Faith Network pastor, said there is a need for a year round shelter and a comprehensive plan for future needs and strategies to end homelessness in the area.

“A shelter will likely be a crucial part of a strategy like this, moving from managing to ending homelessness,” he said. “But a shelter alone wont end homelessness.”