Columbia City Council agenda includes position to address homelessness

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council could vote Monday to add a position in the Public Health and Human Services Department dedicated to helping the homelessness problem. 

The city estimates the job will cost $95,270 next fiscal year and $40,530 in the current fiscal year that ends Oct. 1, according to the city council memo.

The new position is being labeled as a senior planner and will play a key role in overseeing a project to create a homeless center, known as the Opportunity Campus. A vote was taken in February to approve this 26,200-square-foot shelter that will be built at Bowling Street and Business Loop 70 East and operated by the Voluntary Action Center. 

Homelessness has been a growing problem across the United States. In Missouri, there are over six thousand people experiencing homelessness. That is an average of 10.6 people for every 10,000 people in the state, according to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development

In Columbia, multiple homeless camps have already been cleared out. On Monday a large homeless camp alongside Highway 63 was cleaned up with a variety of items including tents, shopping carts and bicycles being pulled out of the wooded area. Officials estimated about 20 people were staying there.