Olathe advances plan to expand its family homeless shelter to meet surging need

The Olathe Planning Commission approved the Salvation Army’s proposal to expand and add more transitional housing units in order to serve more families trying to get back on their feet.

“The demand for family shelter continues to exceed our capacity and this expansion would allow us to serve more families and help them move toward long-term sustainability,” The Salvation Army, Kansas and Western Missouri Division, said in a statement submitted to the city.

The project is one of five that Johnson County reallocated money toward last year after Lenexa rejected a years-in-the-making plan to build a homeless shelter using federal COVID relief funds.

The Salvation Army opened its doors to serve the Olathe community its location northeast of East Santa Fe Street and North Woodland Road in 2010, according to city documents. In 2012, Olathe approved a special use permit to open the Salvation Army Family Lodge, which serves families experiencing homelessness who have minor children in their care.

“These families are often in crisis and need both immediate shelter and longer-term support to achieve stability,” The Salvation Army said in its statement.

The Family Lodge currently offers 11 emergency housing units and three transitional housing units on site along with a children’s playground, food pantry, community programs and access to spiritual support through church services.

In its request to the city, the nonprofit asked for another special use permit to add four more transitional housing units for 15 years “in response to a growing and urgent need for the shelter and affordable transitional housing options in Johnson County,” according to the Salvation Army’s statement to the city.

Transitional housing programs offer more time and support services to those who are experiencing homelessness step toward permanent housing.

“Transitional housing participants have slightly more autonomy and fewer restrictions compared to emergency shelter residents, reflecting their progress toward independent living,” the Salvation Army said in its statement. “This less restrictive setup has proven to be effective and appropriate for their stage in their journey to independence.”

The request comes after the Salvation Army received a $476,000 grant from the county last winter for its family services expansion. The funds must be spent before the end of 2026.

According to city documents, staff supported the request and found that the adjacent social services “complement the shelter by providing services for its residents” and found that the use is “more residential in nature” and “compatible with nearby residential uses.”

“The Salvation Army Family Lodge provides great value to the community by providing temporary housing and other critical wrap-around support services for families in need,” city staff said in their report to the Planning Commission.

Johnson County’s need for services grows as it sees a steady rise in homelessness, with last year’s Point in Time Count tallying 250 people – a 6% increase from 2023 and a 44% increase from 2015.

The county has some beds for families and women – including The Salvation Army’s Family Lodge – but no permanent shelters for adults without children.

Olathe defines a homeless shelter land use in its municipal code, as “a facility providing temporary housing to indigent, needy, homeless, or transient persons.” The land use does not include “group boarding homes or group homes,” and it requires special use permit approval that typically lasts for five years.

Other organizations that provide services for people experiencing homelessness – including Lenexa’s temporary cold weather homeless shelter – have requested approvals to allow them to serve more people.

After the proposal to convert the La Quinta Inn at West 95th Street and Interstate 35 into a 50-bed shelter failed, the Johnson County Board of Commissioners had to reallocate its $6.3 million from COVID relief funds to go elsewhere so that money wouldn’t need to be returned to the federal government.

In November, the county selected five community efforts focused on affordable housing or helping those experiencing homelessness – including the Salvation Army’s project.

The project is expected to go before the Olathe City Council on Aug. 19, but could be subject to change. Meetings start at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall – 100 E. Santa Fe. St.