Politics
La Crosse officials preparing to seek assistance from state, feds to manage local homeless population
At the start of a new year, La Crosse city leaders are planning a new effort to seek more government help in finding shelter for homeless people.
A request for greater funding or other assistance to help the local programs will be discussed at city committee meetings Thursday.
City council member Chris Woodard said last week on WIZM’s La Crosse Talk PM that he hasn’t seen much activity at the state or federal level to offer help to La Crosse on the issue.
La Crosse Talk PM airs weekdays at 5:06 p.m. Listen on the WIZM app, online here, or on 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska). Find all the podcasts here or subscribe to La Crosse Talk PM wherever you get your podcasts.
“They have those departments, they have the funding,” he said. “They just have withheld it from us, probably not on purpose, but without knowledge of this going on, and obviously I don’t know how you can look the other way and not see this is happening in our region.
“It’s happening all over the nation.”
Woodard has authored a resolution seeking state and federal assistance for homelessness programs, much like the city of Eau Claire has done.
He argued that such measures have been taken in past situations where people needed shelter, referring to the temporary housing of refugees from Afghanistan at Fort McCoy near Sparta several years ago.
The resolution seeks expanded funding, regional support systems, and more promotion of affordable housing.
Also on the show, council member and J&A member Mac Kiel discussed various aspects of homelessness in La Crosse, including using the library as an emergency shelter and the effects of the council implementing a camping ban on warming shelters in the area.
The council’s Judiciary and Administration Committee could discuss the plan at its 4 p.m. Thursday meeting — held two days late due to the holiday.
Greg Symons
December 30, 2024 at 6:18 am
They’ll have to seek state help, the federal government is broke and doesn’t have any money for non-constitutional spending. in fact, deficit spending has been one of the reasons for the circumstances that has led to homelessness.
Ronald R Vickery
December 30, 2024 at 11:43 pm
I looked at federal programs recently and that inflation Reduction Act was packed full of pork projects. In Iowa they were gonna pay farmers to get solar arrays for there grain dryers. Which are used one week a year. One program had over 12,000 retirees illegally receiving federal pensions. There fighting tooth and nail to keep it that way too.
Yvonne
January 4, 2025 at 11:27 am
The city of La Crosse should try to train these homeless to work. The last few years the city has spent millions of taxpayer $$$ housing them, feeding them, giving them clean needles instead of helping them get off hard drugs. The city officials don’t have any sensible ideas or solutions except spending more millions to house & feed them.
Paul E Pierce
December 30, 2024 at 7:08 am
ARPA money from Biden and local services isn’t enough? Throw more money at it! NO! Hold the homeless accountable. If the taxpayers are good citizens by paying their taxes then homeless receiving that money and services should respond as good citizens.
Rob
January 4, 2025 at 2:31 am
Totally agree Paul
Karen Kuhlmann
December 30, 2024 at 11:44 am
Until La Crosse County Board stops putting on bandaids instead of realizing the complexity of this problem, the problem will continue. This includes mental health care, affordable medication and counseling. Only when mental health is stabilized, will we see change. When they are stabilized physically and mentally, we need to offer education, so they can make a living wage. We need to house them during this time and provide incentive, so when they have a job, they can find affordable living. This all has to be accomplished with strict supervision. When I look at the amount of money we poured into “bandaids”, (econo lodge, clean up of houska park and other areas), it is embarrassing. Without mental health, you cannot hold a job. Without a job, you can’t afford medication, rent or food. That is how one ends up homeless.
Roy
December 31, 2024 at 11:52 am
This looks like a wonderful liberal solution that’s all been tried, and miserably failed before. This lady wants more, and expensive, government, cradle to grave. “Stable mental health”-now there’s a subjective phrase. Does that mean they only smoke one joint a day? “Affordable medication and Counseling” “Free housing and education.” I nominate this lady for 2024 Enabler of the Year.
Now that firm action from the City Council and their overnight City Parks squatting ban has kept these creatures from making encampments on City property, La Crosse finally has the upper hand on the sheer numbers of visible squatters (Even though most Council members sniffled through the whole ordinance creation process, acting like they were ashamed of themselves). Only an angry crowd of over 200 citizens forced them to do the right thing. Keep the pressure on to insist that the vagrants take responsibility for their current condition and take the steps necessary to correct it. Millions of people have decided to quit the drugs and booze and now live happy, normal lives without any help from the government. This crowd can, too.
Lawrence Hamilton
January 24, 2025 at 1:14 pm
CREATURES??? NICE GUY ROB. YOU ARE THE NASTY CREATURE
Rob
January 4, 2025 at 2:30 am
Why not just have taxpayers pay for a new building and pay for room service, new clothes each week, and while we’re at it, let the taxpayers buy each homeless person a brand new vehicle too. Since the taxpayers have or are already working.
How about making people be accountable for their own situation and realize that they need to get off the dope,get a job, and act like an adult and be responsible.
It’s always going to be so much easier to get somebody else to pay their way.
When I put myself in the homeless situation, nobody paid my way out. I struggled and struggled and struggled to get back on my feet WITHOUT A SINGLE HANDOUT FROM FEDS OR STATE. Not only have I myself been able to get back onto my feet, and get an apartment, furnish my apartment, and pay my bills, but I know there’s MANY other people who are disabled, physically, mentally, and, or emotionally, who have gotten back onto their feet, as well.
Sam
December 30, 2024 at 12:44 pm
There has to be a program for giving them a hand up, not just handouts. Mental health and addiction also need to be addressed. Privacy laws can make it difficult for family members to intervene. For those who want to get off the streets there is not always enough support.
walden
January 7, 2025 at 12:28 am
Sam, The City and County of La Crosse has spent or committed to spend by my estimate over $20 million “helping” several hundred chronically homeless people over the last 5 years. If that figure doesn’t buy “enough support” to help those who really want to get off the streets then something is seriously lacking in the Homeless Industrial Complex.
Note, the City, County, and the various NGOs (which get funding from donations and “grants” from the City, County and federal government), never inform us what they have spent…why is that? How can no-one be keeping track of the cost? Shouldn’t that be the job of the City’s Coordinator? All we get is bits and pieces of information, and only when they want something (more money).
R Head
December 30, 2024 at 1:31 pm
You pissed away all the Covid money now you want more to piss away no stop handing out our money. Wake up
Ronald R Vickery
December 30, 2024 at 11:49 pm
Covid was actually about 8 trillion if you count all the oil reserve money they took in too. Our Covid spokesman from the NIH had gotten 100 covid patents. They wanted a wealth transfer and blew covid out of control.with lies. Those masks were not the right particle size for covid even. Stunted the economies of the world.
Jennifer Du Bois
December 31, 2024 at 2:03 pm
While this is not an overall fix, why not offer a program such as ‘adopt a homeless person? Match interested people up with someone who can directly be assisted with help and include a way to communicate between the 2 parties so that the support is not only financial but also emotional. I can’t say for everyone, but I would appreciate knowing who or how I am helping when I donate goods to homeless shelters, the Salvation Army, or any contributions I make in my community. Adding a more personal touch might make a big difference to the recipient and could also add more interest to givers. Perhaps churches would take an interest and parish members or businesses as well. Job opportunities could eventually become part of this arrangement as well. Becoming a part of the community and having purpose or paying it forward could very well be incorporated. I have family members on my husband’s side who are homeless in the La Crosse area and have been for years. This has occurred due to substance abuse disorder and little to no support from family members early on in their lives.
Roy
December 31, 2024 at 5:17 pm
Asking for a friend:
Since you have suggestions for everyone reading this, why not take the first leap yourself and “adopt” your husband’s family addicts?
nick
January 3, 2025 at 7:40 am
The fact that many want to live this way is not even addressed.
Stop wasting time and money.