Columbia mayoral candidates discuss homelessness ahead of April 8 election

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia's four mayoral candidates sat down with ABC 17 News to discuss a number of topics, including homelessness in the city, before the April 8 municipal election.

The candidates include incumbent Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Blair Murphy, Tanya Heath and write-in candidate Lucio Bitoy.

In 2024, The Boone County Coalition to End Homelessness reported to 261 people were experiencing homelessness in Boone County.

Buffaloe told ABC 17 News homelessness is a complex issue and it comes down to affordable housing and social services. She said that she would like to see more residences made.

 "We've partnered with the county to identify the areas that we could grow, as well as ways that we can in policy like the local government, invest in additional housing to be developed and then also the social services that are needed," she said. "Often people who are experiencing homelessness, it might come from a substance abuse or mental health or some something, some crisis that happened. And so, by investing in those social services so that people can get help, then that helps them have stability, so that they can be on their feet. "

Murphy, a Columbia native, business owner and board member of CrimeStoppers said he wants homelessness to be temporary and Columbia should follow other cities leads on panhandling.

"I want homelessness to be temporary because I want everybody to have a chance and a fair chance for the people that want it. You got to want it, right? Because I think Columbia is a pretty giving community. I think there's a lot of ways for people to get help. This is a, as I said, a pretty giving community in my opinion, and I think that the panhandling and stuff can be addressed," he said. "And you know, just look at some other cities, what they're doing and the QR codes on the signs that say, like 'be the solution,' to where you can give, pull up and scan the QR code at an intersection and give to an organization that helps the people versus the danger. It's a safety thing too, right? I mean, flying through an intersection at 40 miles an hour and someone leaning right there on a median, it's also a safety thing."

Candidate Tanya Heath is also a Columbia native and a graduate from the University of Missouri. She said her 30 years in marketing in advertising helps her with listening to people.

Heath said homelessness is an issue that should be addressed through a collaborative effort among several government entitites.

"My approach is to holistically look at the situation, make sure that we are compassionate but we also have boundaries because we cannot afford to have 10,000 people move here that are looking to our services. We can collaborate with other mayors and other governors, and we need to make sure that what we are doing is helping people move in the positive direction that they need to for a fulfilling life," she said

Lucio Bitoy is a write-in candidate from Illinois, earned a political science degree from Lincoln University and interned with the Missouri House of Representatives. He currently is a classroom aide with the Columbia Public School District.

Bitoy said he would address homelessness in a few ways, including an initiative that would give financial assistance to those needing a home.

"It would just be through a housing-first initiative where people would be paired with tiny homes that would just be very... basically by mail, bare bones, just something that is a shelter that's connected to local utilities. They'd be responsible for paying 25% of their monthly income, whatever that is, or up to maybe up to maybe $300, let's say, just so they are taking some type of ownership over their housing. So that would give homeless individuals an opportunity to get housing first and then get their lives together, instead of expecting them to get their lives together and then get housing," he said.

View the full interview with Buffaloe here.

View the full interview with Murphy here.

View the full interview with Heath here.

View the full interview with Bitoy here.