The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) authorized nearly $4 million in housing assistance to address homelessness, stipulating that applicants will not be required to be citizens of the United States or be questioned as to their legal immigration status.
Using a federal Covid-era American Rescue Plan (ARP) housing grant of $1 million coupled with $2.9 million re-allocated from the failed low-barrier homeless shelter renovation of the LaQuinta Inn, BOCC approved the plan on a 6-1 vote; 3rd District Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara cast the lone vote in opposition.
The Home-ARP grant is designed to serve populations in four categories:
- Homeless
- At risk of homelessness – at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI) AND meet other specific criteria;
- Fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking; or
- Other populations – previously qualified as homeless, veterans, and at great risk of housing instability, including (1) at or below 30% of AMI and severely cost-burdened or (2) at or below 50% of AMI AND meet other specific criteria.
In an exchange with County Housing Director Heather McNieve, O’Hara confirmed neither citizenship, residency, nor immigration status can be questioned in accepting the federal assistance.
In an interview with The Sentinel following the vote, O’Hara decried what she referred to as the federal government’s liberal agenda:
“What is happening in Johnson County is a microcosm of events unfolding across our nation, federal funds with strings attached which force local governments to bend to the liberal Washington D.C. Democrat agenda.
“Item 12 on our agenda considered at last week’s BOCC meeting was for allocation of $3.9 million of Home ARP funds for services which would be available for illegal aliens. This was verified by our housing staff in answer to my questions. These funds are under the same restrictions that applied to the proposed Lenexa low-barrier homeless shelter. The Special Use Permit application was denied on September 17th.
“But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Here is a quote from Charlie Hunt, Director of the Health Department, ‘We do not screen for citizenship or immigration status for any of our programs.’
“From Tim DeWesse, Director of Mental Health, in response to my question, ‘Yes, the Mental Health Center uses the Coordinated Entry System for all homeless-related services and support.’ That means no screening. This is under the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Housing First Works, which prohibits screening for citizenship, Johnson County residency, criminal background, etc.”
The Sentinel asked O’Hara is she sees this vote as “payback” from the BOCC for failing to win support for the LaQuinta Inn/homeless shelter.
“Unfortunately, I was the only “No” vote on this allocation of these funds. I cannot speak for my colleagues, but before the vote on the $3.9 million available to illegal aliens, Chairman Kelly stated: ‘Again, (we are) helping folks who are already here in our community who are within a protected status.’ This verifies his knowingly allocating funds for illegal aliens and is a phrase he used repeatedly in support of the Lenexa proposed low barrier homeless shelter.”
