Pedestrian safety, housing costs, distrust of first responders among obstacles for Columbia’s homeless community, residents say at meeting

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia is continuing its conversations around a homelessness and how to better support the unhoused community.

On Thursday, a round table discussion by the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services brought together about 70 community members, homeless advocates and city officials.

Sara Humm, the health department's public health planner, called Thursday's meeting one of many discussions that are apart of a bigger picture for the city's Steering Committee established back in May.

"The end goal being submitting a strategic plan with action steps to City Council to hopefully make some improvements," Humm said. "What things are working, what things are not working, what can be improved in terms of homelessness in the community?"

Attendees were split into groups with a facilitator at each table where they discussed three questions for 20 minutes each. The questions were:

• From your perspective, what is working well in our community's response to homelessness?
• From your perspective, what do you see as the biggest challenges related to homelessness in our community?
• If you could recommend one or two actions that would make the greatest positive impact on homelessness in our community over the next few years, what would it be?

In response to what's working well, one group listed the city's free bus system, the new Opportunity Campus and passionate community organizations that provide resources to the unhoused.

As far as some of the challenges related to homelessness, the same group listed high housing costs, pedestrian safety and distrust in first responding agencies.

Recommendations made by the group included suggestions around more mental health resources, more housing options and easier access to public transit.

Shannon Frey, a community member and local volunteer, said she was encouraged by the turnout on Thursday.

"Everyone at my table was really someone who I think understands that it's a very complex problem and so there's not going to be a simple solution. I think it's good to again have conversations," Frey said.

Focus groups have also been held with young adults in the community and more than 41 interviews have been completed with people who are currently experiencing homelessness.

Humm described the approach as comprehensive and said the next focus groups will include conversations with direct service providers, as well as health professionals, business owners, and leaders in the faith community. The city has a public survey accessible until mid September that anyone who cannot attend a meeting can participate in to make sure their voice is heard.

After all the data is collected, Humm said staff at the health department will analyze it and present it to the Steering Committee. From there, the Steering Committee will create action items to present to the city council by the end of December.

Frey said she thinks the December deadline is reasonable.

"It's a really difficult issue, so I don't think that you can rush through trying to solve it," Frey said.

Humm said a public data presentation will also take place after it is analyzed but a date has not been finalized yet.