Homelessness is a problem across Alaska, particularly each fall as temperatures begin to drop below freezing. Project Homeless Connect’s Jodi Stuart says Kenai Peninsula homelessness often goes unseen.
Stuart: “You have a lot of couch surfers, you have a lot of people staying in hotels. They aren’t making enough money to be able to do that down payment.”
Stuart says local homeless statistics have remained about the same as previous years, but that means there’s more actions that can be taken to improve those.
Tonight(Thursday) a panel of professionals from around the state will meet in Kenai to discuss the issue…
Stuart: “They’ve got a panel of like six of seven different agencies to present what everyone is kind of doing to address the reasons why people are homeless, and why they are suffering from homelessness, or near homelessness. And how we can hopefully as a community come together because we need community support to make this happen, we can’t do it on our own.”
That town hall meeting will be held at the Dena’ina Wellness Center, doors open at 5:00 pm and discussion will take place from 5:30 – 8:00 pm.
Stuart says Project Homeless Connect representatives are already talking to local Borough Assembly and City Council members to implement solutions such as creating more low-income housing in the area.