Columbia and Boone County holds a joint work session on homelessness and housing study

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

City of Columbia and Boone County officials met for a joint work session Wednesday morning regarding homelessness and a housing study.

Boone County and Columbia officials met at Boone Electric Cooperative at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the meeting agenda, officials discussed the Homeless Strategic Plan, Housing Continuum Update, Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration and Housing Study Recommendations Crosswalk Updates.

Regarding the Homelessness Strategic Plan, staff is working on a public engagement plan in order to gather data that will be shared with city council members by the end of the year.

The Housing Study Recommendations Crosswalk Updates summarizes the steps taken by Boone County and the City of Columbia since the release of the October 2024 housing study. Some updates from both Boone County and Columbia include:

• Boone County staff are researching ways to make a sustainable housing trust fund.
• Passing zoning updates to support the creation of affordable housing after the Boone County Commission passed zoning updates back in March.
• A revised definition of "family."
• General dimensional standard revisions for all previously platted lots before March 2017.

Boone County and City of Columbia officials will have another joint work session scheduled on Sept. 9.