Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition

08/21/2026

Every January, Kansas counts.

The Point-in-Time count is an annual census HUD requires of every Continuum of Care, conducted during the last ten days of January. It captures people staying in shelters, transitional housing, vehicles, encampments, and other places not meant for human habitation.

KSHC organizes the count across the 101 counties of the Balance of State — recruiting and training volunteers, refining the survey, and analyzing the results alongside our partners.

It's a snapshot, not the whole picture. A single night can't capture everyone, and the count is understood to miss people who are doubled up or staying in motels.

Next week: what the 2026 count found.

Source: KSHC 2026 PIT Count Report | HUD Exchange https://1l.ink/NBG6GF6

08/19/2026

2,393 people. 1,726 households.

That's who the Kansas Balance of State CoC identified through Coordinated Entry between October 2024 and September 2025.

Coordinated Entry is the standardized front door of the homeless response system. HUD requires every Continuum of Care to operate one. It works in four parts: access, assessment, prioritization, and referral.

Here's why it matters. Before Coordinated Entry, someone seeking help might contact a dozen agencies and repeat their story every time. Coordinated Entry means the first door you walk through doesn't determine the help you get.

Source: KSHC 2025 Gap Analysis | HUD Exchange | hudexchange.info

07/29/2026

Although a slight increase, sheltered veteran homelessness stands at a whopping 32% of our Build For Zero goals. Communities all across KS are working to encourage higher numbers of sheltered veterans through coordination, data collection such as this, and advocacy.
Read more below!

07/25/2026

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has released its annual Out of Reach report, which has tracked the relationship between renter wages and housing costs across the U.S. for over 35 years. The report’s central figure, the “Housing Wage,” estimates what a full-time worker needs to earn to afford a rental home without spending more than 30% of their income on housing — a widely used standard of affordability.

🔹 National: A full-time worker must earn $34.73/hour to afford a two-bedroom rental home at Fair Market Rent.

🔹 Kansas: The 2-Bedroom Housing Wage in Kansas is $21.70/hour, compared to a state minimum wage of $7.25/hour — meaning a worker earning minimum wage would need to work 120 hours per week, or hold 3 full-time jobs, to afford a two-bedroom rental home at Fair Market Rent.

Wage and rent data such as this is one of several factors that inform housing stability planning across Kansas.
Full report and county-level data: nlihc.org/oor

Follow us for more updates and information!

07/21/2026

Your Next Career Move Starts Here — FINANCIAL MANAGER WANTED

Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition is looking to hire a Financial Manager to oversee financial operations, grant compliance, and strategic budgeting across our programs — helping us advance our mission to prevent and end homelessness statewide.

In this role, you'll:

Manage program budgets, grant reporting, and compliance with federal/state funding requirements
Guide financial planning and provide insights that support program growth and sustainability - just to name a few!

If you're a detail-oriented financial leader who wants your work to make a real impact, we'd love to hear from you!

📩 Apply today: https://bit.ly/4bAM2PI

07/16/2026

Another great week at the National Alliance to End Homelessness conference!

Our team spent last week in our nation's capital connecting with peers from across the country, soaking up new ideas from sessions on the field's toughest challenges, and meeting with Senate staff from Senators Moran and Marshall's offices to talk about homelessness in Kansas. What an amazing opportunity to be able to be in the room with so many folks who are all there for the same mission - to keep homelessness rare, nonrecurring and brief.

Grateful for the chance to learn alongside so many committed partners — and to keep pushing for a stronger homeless response system here at home.

Thank you for the invite and stay, NEAH & Washington Hilton, until next year!

07/01/2026

Eviction expungement is officially available for eligible Kansas residents!

Starting July 1, past eviction should not permanently prevent someone from securing stable housing. This new process provides a pathway forward and helps strengthen communities across our state.

Questions about eligibility or how the process works? Our information sheets and FAQs provide
guidance on:
• Who may qualify
• How to apply
• Important timelines
• Resources for additional support

Visit Eviction Expungement Communications Toolkit to learn more. https://1l.ink/CMWJ5LZ

06/24/2026

06/22/2026

On May 29, 2026, Christy McMurphy and Molly Mendenhall of the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition were honored to attend the Ceremonial Bill Signing for HB 2357 at the Governor's office.
HB 2357 is a significant step forward for housing access in Kansas. Beginning July 1, 2026, individuals with evictions older than 3 years on their record — where all conditions of the eviction judgment have been met — will have the opportunity to have those evictions expunged. This law helps reduce long-standing housing barriers that can follow individuals long after a past eviction.
We are proud to have been in the room as this became law and remain committed to advocating for policies that expand access to safe, stable housing for all Kansans.

United Community Services of Johnson County Kansas Legal Services Habitat for Humanity

05/13/2026

Congratulations to Molly Mendenhall, our Director of Statewide Initiatives and Ashley Arganbright with the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services for presenting today at the National Housing First Conference in San Francisco, California!

Molly and Ashley presented “Boundary Spanning: Filling Housing Gaps During an Olmstead Settlement,” highlighting Kansas’ work to bridge systems and reduce housing barriers for individuals exiting institutional settings and returning to the community.

Their session focused on how cross-system collaboration can help prevent homelessness and create stronger pathways to stable housing and support.

We are proud to see Kansas represented on a national stage and grateful for the work being done to build more connected, responsive systems across our state. Great job, Molly and Ashley!