Consultant suggests Topeka have tiny homes and low-barrier homeless shelter. What we know.

A consultant hired last year by Topeka's city government recommends the creation of a low-barrier homeless shelter, a village of eight tiny homes and a resource center where homeless people could access various services.

Evanston, Illinois-based Sylver Consulting plans to ask Topeka's mayor and city council to support those moves during their 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday in their chambers at 214 S.E. 8th, according to a slideshow presentation that's part of that meeting's agenda packet.

The low-barrier shelters and tiny homes community wouldn't be operated by Topeka's city government, slideshow documents said.

Why is Topeka considering homelessness options?

A group put together by Topeka's city government has worked since September with Brianna Sylver, president of Sylver Consulting, which the mayor and council voted to hire for $76,080 in February 2023 to help the city use the Path to Innovation methodology to resolve problems it faces regarding homelessness.

A core team and an auxiliary team created by Topeka's city government started by studying the issues involved. Those teams included community members and representatives of local government and nonprofit organizations.

Those involved then sought to generate solutions at meetings where participants included homeless people and local elected officials.

They next worked to narrow those down to a few concepts that could be the most impactful and meaningful.

What recommendations were made by homelessness consultant?

The slideshow presentation for Tuesday's meeting shows Sylver Consulting recommends the following:

• Creating a "homeless resource center" providing access to employment and housing services.
• Investing in both a low-barrier shelter and a “tiny home village.”
• Creating a community coalition supporting action that reduces homelessness.
• Providing transportation services.
• Continuing investment in existing programs that help those experiencing homelessness or poverty.
• Providing housing and employment second chance offerings.
• Creating a centralized data hub between agencies to guide future funding.

What are the immediate asks of the Topeka City Council?

Sylver Consulting is only asking for support Tuesday for the creation of the Homeless Resource Center, a low-barrier shelter and a community coalition that engages in homeless reduction services.

The first goals for these projects are to educate and garner support from the public on the concepts before tailoring what practices they should implement and figure out exact funding priorities.

Longer term, Sylver Consulting recommends a workforce development program for people who are homeless and landlord incentives for people with poor credit or other red flags that make it difficult to rent.

What is the difference between low- and high-barrier shelters?

Low-barrier shelters typically have fewer requirements to stay than high-barrier shelters. Though there’s no strict definition, low-barrier shelters can allow people who use drugs, have pets or are unemployed.

Sylver Consulting said the Topeka low-barrier shelter should offer congregate and non-congregate shelter, have different level of incentives for accepting services, accommodate pets and ban any weapons.

The proposed eight-unit tiny home village, which wouldn't be considered low-barrier, includes a detached space for its residents, complete with small kitchens and bathrooms. It would hire out its residents to maintain the community and have on-site case management to help people get into longer-term housing.

Would would a one-stop homeless resource center entail?

The three-day-per-week resource center would seek to connect homeless people with already available services in the city. Beyond basic necessities, it would also have on-site services to help people get employed, enroll children in childcare, offer health services and guide people to shelter.

Partner agencies would be invited to visit or connect virtually at the resource center. The facility would start slowly and only be open three days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but eventually the goal is to be open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.