Jefferson City Task Force calls for more shelters, centralized resources, and affordable housing

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Jefferson City Task Force is set to present its homelessness action plan to the city council Monday.

In a 10-page report, the group outlines several key priorities, including expanding shelter access, increasing affordable housing, strengthening employment support, enhancing mental health and safety services, and raising public awareness.

According to Missouri Coalition Against Trafficking & Exploitation, Cole County has several local homeless shelter options.

HALO Home serves youth ages 16 to 21, allowing stays of 18 to 24 months, with a capacity of 24 beds.

Rape and Abuse Crisis Service offers 32 beds, with length of stay varying by individual, though it typically ranges from 40 to 60 days.

The Michael W. Prenger Family Center serves juveniles in state custody, ages 12 to 17, providing a two-week emergency care program for those in need of temporary shelter.

The Salvation Army Food Pantry is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 to 11:50 a.m., and again from 1 to 1:50 p.m.

The Task Force is asking the city to support a centralized "Homeless Resource Center" or at minimum, an online hub that maintains a regularly updated directory of shelters, food programs, healthcare, employment, and outreach services.

The group is also calling for expanded shelter options, including the development of at least one low-barrier emergency shelter that could operate short-term or year-round. They recommend using public or community spaces for daytime respite, rather than relying solely on the library.

Bergen Blakeman has lived in Jefferson City for the past three years and is currently unhoused. He said he often has to travel to Columbia to access basic resources.

Still, Blakeman chooses to stay in Jefferson City, stating it’s more ‘peaceful and quieter’ than Columbia, but he wishes there were more resources available.

"Places where people can be at during the day time, where they don't have to feel like they look like homeless people," Blakeman said. "People can feel more like people, and shelters or overnights and stuff like that,"

Blakeman’s a regular at Common Grounds, which he said has been a big help, offering things like bus passes, vouchers, Social Security assistance, certificates, and identification. However, the most impactful support, he said, is the $200 provided toward a first month’s rent.

The task force recommends using federal and state grant funding to support coordination efforts and expand staffing.

Under its affordable housing findings, the task force said the city lacks enough units for low and moderate-income households. It also notes that existing incentive programs and zoning policies have not produced sufficient affordable housing development and adds that the city lacks a comprehensive long-term housing strategy.

According to a 2022 Jefferson City Housing Study, renter households in the city face higher levels of cost burden than homeowners, a gap expected to worsen as rents rise faster than incomes.

The report shows that in 2020, about 46% of renters had an annual income at or below 50% of the area median income, no more than $30,700 per year. This salary would allow them to afford only about $768 per month in rent.

For a more recent perspective, Empower Missouri released a study in July 2025 showing that the housing wage for a two-bedroom apartment is $21.61 per hour, while a one-bedroom apartment requires an hourly wage of $17.02.

The study showed the former state minimum wage of $13.75 per hour, which has now bumped up to $15, someone would have needed to work 63 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom apartment, or 52 hours per week to afford a one-bedroom.

Moriah Frazier is a student at Lincoln University and works part-time as a waitress at a local restaurant. She says she earns $10 an hour, plus tips, but on that income alone, she wouldn’t be able to afford living on her own.

"I live comfortably, but that is because I live with my mother and grandmother," Frazier said.

Frazier believes the rising cost of living isn’t just a local issue, it’s happening nationwide.

"It cost so much to live anywhere," Frazier said. "But, we have a housing crisis because people are just charging too much to be able to live."

The task force is recommending that the city develop a 'Housing Strategy Plan' for low and moderate-income families. They suggest adjusting existing housing incentive programs to encourage the development of affordable units through public-private, mixed-income partnerships.

The group also recommends revising city codes to allow a wider variety of housing types, such as duplexes, tiny homes, and accessory dwelling units. Additionally, they propose creating developer incentives, including zoning or density bonuses for including affordable units in larger projects.

According to the plan, the city has roughly 1,782 registered rental properties, totaling about 6,000 rental units. The report notes that some of these units are aging and deteriorating, creating unsafe conditions for tenants. However, many tenants do not report issues out of fear of retaliation from landlords.

The task force is recommending that the city also explore a landlord incentive program to encourage participation from landlords who might otherwise hesitate to rent to tenants with damaged credit, limited rental history, insufficient deposits, or Housing Choice Vouchers.

The city council meeting is set to meet 6 p.m. Monday.