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My name is Judith Storandt. My husband, Peter, and I live at 105 Race in El Dorado, S. I am an attorney but I am not admitted to !ractice la" in the state o# ansas, and do not $ive le$al advice to anyone about the la" in ansas. %o"ever, I am admitted to !ractice in the #ederal courts. &ut toni$ht I am '() addressin$ you as an attorney, but as a resident o# the *ity o# El Dorado. &e#ore movin$ to ansas, Peter and I have lived in a number o# di##erent cities across the country, includin$ +ashin$ton, D.*. (ver the years, I have become #amiliar "ith !overty and homeless issues at the national as "ell as local levels. ,ast month, I had the !leasure o# visitin$ the ne" #omeless $esource Center in do"nto"n %ichita! )hey o##er an im!ressive array o# services to !revent homelessness - hel! those "ho have been dis!laced #rom their homes. .nd it has an e/cellent record o# success in hel!in$ !eo!le to $et bac0 u! on their #eet. +ichita clearly is doin$ its !art to ta0e care o# its o"n. I have also loo0ed at !ro$rams in other cities in ansas, includin$1 %utchinson, Inde!endence, ,a"rence, Manhattan, 'e"ton, )o!e0a, and else"here. )hey also are doin$ their !art to hel! their o"n. Many &eo&le belie'e that it(s time for us to start ta)ing care of our o"n here in El Dorado * and + agree! ,ecause ta)ing care of our o"n can be: cost effecti'e good for businesses in our community, increase &ro&erty 'alues, and im&ro'e community safety! helter is a basic human need! 2irst, I "ant to address stereoty!es that many !eo!le have about "ho is homeless here in El Dorado. +hen they hear the "ord 3homeless3 4 many !eo!le thin0 o# street !eo!le sometimes #ound in lar$e urban areas1 dri#ters "ho "al0 around "5 bac0 !ac0s, !erha!s dirty and un0em!t6 "ho slee! under brid$es, and as0 !eo!le #or money that they use to !urchase dru$s.
)hat7s the ty!ically stereoty!e o# chronically homeless !ersons 4 "ho are !rimarily #ound in lar$e, urban areas &ut that stereoty!e rarely a!!lies to &utler *ounty.
%ho are the homeless and near homeless among us .amilies: 'ationally, 80 9 o# those slee!in$ in shelters at ni$ht because they are homeless are #amilies. Children1 .t last count, about 1:0 students in &utler *ounty schools are homeless. ;.nd that number doesn7t include children "ho do not attend school. /eterans: <<9 o# the homeless in the =.S. are >eterans 4 many o# "hom are #emale veterans.
0hose dis&laced from homes in our area are &rimarily local residents li'ing one unluc)y ste& from ta)ing a fall! Many o# us have lived or are no" livin$ ?ust one !aychec0 a"ay #rom losin$ their homes. Everyone in this room is either in that situation, or 0no"s someone ;; a #amily member, a co"or0er, or a nei$hbor 4 "ho is one !aychec0 a"ay #rom !overty . %ho are the &eo&le one ste& a"ay from being dis&laced from their homes )he "or0in$ !oor 4 lo" income "a$e earners and #amilies livin$ in near !overty, $ettin$ more behind each "ee0. )hose "ho have lost their ?obs due to do"nsi@in$, business closures, or health !roblems. %ouseholds that have lost a bread "inner 4 due to death, divorce, a car accident or chronic illness that resulted in disability. )eens and youn$ adults "ho have runa"ay or le#t their homes due to abuse or maltreatment. >ictims o# domestic violence. =nmarried !re$nant teens and youth. Many older and a$in$ adults, and !ersons "ith disabilities . Many of the homeless in our area are 1in'isible2 to most of us! 0hey are the3 Renters "ho are behind on rent !ayments and unable to catch u!. )hose livin$ in a cars and other !laces not suitable #or a home. Peo!le livin$ in tents and trailers at cam!$rounds. )hey are the Acouch sur#ersB "ho slee! on the couches o# #riends. 2amilies doubled u! "ith #riends or relatives 4 and "ho are about to overstay their "elcome. Peo!le livin$ in shelters, sa#e houses, and other tem!orarily situations. )hese are amon$ the !eo!le "ho need assistance and su!!orts to access the social services system that can hel! them $et bac0 on their #eet.
Some !eo!le mista0enly believe that !rovidin$ su!!orts #or those in need "ould be bad #or El Dorado. #o"e'er, research has sho"n, ho"e'er, that &ro'iding transitional housing "ith su&&orti'e ser'ices: o o o o maintains and increases !ro!erty values increases !ublic sa#ety im!roves the local economy, and saves ta/!ayer dollars
)here isn7t time #or me to discuss these thin$s in detail but there is valid research and data that su!!orts these results. %hat(s the &roblem "ith the El Dorado 4oning $egulations +t uses an outdated and &robably unconstitutional definition of 5family5! &ut this !roblem can be eliminated by u!datin$ the de#inition o# #amily and ado!tin$ a !rocess to a!!ly #or a variance or an e/ce!tion. 2i/in$ this !roblem should be done in addition to a!!rovin$ the !endin$ transitional housin$ amendment to the Conin$ Re$ulations.
+ also recommend that you allo" transitional housing in the C62 4oning District! I have ma!!ed out social services and resources available to individuals in need in El Dorado. Many o# those resources are in or near the *;: District. .nd there are !lenty o# unoccu!ied buildin$s and houses in the *;: District that can be s!ruced u! and !ut to $ood use "hich "ould contribute to the revitali@ation o# the do"nto"n area. 2inally, allo"in$ transitional housin$ in El Dorado is consistent "ith El Dorado's 2030 Comprehensive Plan. )he 3%(=SI'D3 ob?ectives !oint out the im!ortance o# Acommunity;"ide o!!ortunities #or $rou! housin$ and care o!tions that are inte$rated into nei$hborhoods.B I have distributed co!ies o# the !ertinent !rovisions #or you to revie" Ere!roduced belo"F..
+n closing: 7ansas is the: 10here8s no &lace li)e home2 state! 9et8s start &ro'iding transitional housing here in El Dorado to ma)e that true for e'eryone!
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