The Salina City Commission voted 5–0 to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with shg advisors, a Colorado-based consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive strategic plan addressing homelessness in Salina.
The action follows months of groundwork by City staff and comes after a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) process that drew 12 applicants from across the country, with proposed costs ranging from approximately $53,000 to more than $1 million.
Why the City pursued a plan
City officials said Salina has been involved in homelessness response for decades, dating back to at least 1994, primarily through administration of federal Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding. While multiple agencies and nonprofits are actively working on homelessness locally, staff said efforts have lacked a unified, City-adopted strategy.
Community Relations Supervisor Michelle Martin told Commissioners the City’s role has increasingly intersected with housing policy, noting that homelessness is widely recognized as a housing-related issue. She said the City is now at a point where coordination, data, and clearly defined priorities are needed.
Work leading up to the decision
Since January 2024, the City has:
- Hosted follow-up sessions with local stakeholders
- Worked with a nationally recognized homelessness expert
- Improved local data collection efforts, including support from an intern
- Coordinated with the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition
- Participated in the Continuum of Care (CoC) system under HUD’s national framework
- Taken part in the state’s Built for Zero initiative, which focuses on achieving “functional zero” homelessness
City staff acknowledged that much of the current data used statewide relies on the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count, conducted one night each January, and said improved real-time data remains a key goal.
Data and mapping efforts
The City has also developed a GIS-based mapping system that allows multiple departments and partner agencies to log locations where unhoused individuals are encountered. Officials said the map is intended to improve outreach coordination, reduce duplication of effort, and improve accuracy during PIT counts.
Why shg advisors was selected
A four-member evaluation committee reviewed the proposals, including representatives from:
- Salina Police Department
- Parks and Recreation
- Community Relations
After scoring written submissions and conducting virtual interviews, the committee unanimously identified shg advisors as the top candidate.
Staff cited several factors in the selection:
- Experience working in both rural and urban communities
- A focus on actionable recommendations, not just analysis
- Commitment to in-person engagement, including six visits to Salina
- A proposed timeline of 12 months, beginning in January 2026
City officials emphasized the plan will go beyond theory and is expected to include:
- A full inventory of existing programs and resources
- Identification of gaps, barriers, and bottlenecks
- Clear performance measures, including:
- Time from unhoused to housed
- Housing stability over a 12-month period
- Short- and long-term goals with measurable outcomes
Scope of the contract
The approved contract covers planning and analysis only. It does not include implementation, staffing, or construction of facilities. Any future steps — such as hiring staff, expanding shelter capacity, or allocating funding — would require separate Commission approval.
Commissioners discussed the possibility of using the plan to:
- Guide future budget decisions
- Identify outside funding and grant opportunities
- Align City, nonprofit, housing, and service providers around shared priorities
Public comment
Several residents spoke during public comment, expressing a range of views. Comments included concerns about effectiveness, accountability of service providers, funding priorities, and broader causes of homelessness. City staff responded that funded organizations already provide annual reporting and that the purpose of the plan is to bring greater clarity, coordination, and accountability.
What happens next
If finalized as planned, the homelessness strategic planning process will begin in January 2026 and run through the year. City officials said the completed plan would be brought back to the Commission for review and potential adoption.
Commissioners said the intent is to move from discussion to direction, creating a unified framework that the City and partner agencies can rely on moving forward.