LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — A Kansas City-area nonprofit plans to camp outside for one night to show solidarity with the homeless and bring awareness to the need for affordable housing.
“There are a lot of people that just simply do not understand how perilous the situation is for a lot of our people," Katie Frandsen said.
Frandsen is a volunteer with Leavenworth Attainable Housing, a nonprofit that provides low-income housing help.
She said rent is high in the area and there's a difference between affordable and attainable.
“You could maybe squeak by with $600 a month for rent," Frandsen said. "But it’s first and last month's rent, it’s deposits, it’s security deposits, so that $600 apartment becomes a $2,000 unattainable goal.”
More than 5% of households in the Kansas City area are considered severely cost burdened with incomes between $35,000 and $50,000, according to the Urban Land Institute.
Frandsen said the sleep out is a fundraiser to gather enough money to construct a building with one bedroom apartments.
She hopes at least $25,000 can be raised.
The sleep out will be held from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on June 23 at 4th and Chestnut streets.
People are asked to donate $250, but organizers said no sleeper will be turned away and any amount would be accepted.
More information can be found by calling (913)-530-4535.
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