An Olathe nonprofit is working hard to make sure no one freezes to death in extreme winter weather.
Project 1020 was hoping to move into a permanent new home this season, but that’s now on hold.
There are rows of cots and warm blankets to welcome guests every night during the brutally cold winter months at Branches Church in Olathe. It’s the temporary home for the Project 1020 homeless shelter. “There are homeless people in Johnson County whether we want to admit it or not. They’re here and they need help and they need some place to stay,” said Barb McEver, founder of Project 1020. “We have this building across town we own and we’re insuring and paying utilities on and taxes on and we can’t use it.,” she said.
McEver said she talked with the city before ever buying the building to find out if it could be used as a homeless shelter. She got the green light in writing at least three times during the process and had lots of meetings with city leaders.
But recently, the city pulled the plug — at least for now.
“It’s only been in the last month I’d say, I’ve started feeling like a lot of pressure thinking maybe this isn’t going to happen,” McEver said.
The city of Olathe told FOX4 that although Project 1020 was cleared for how they could use the land, the building permitting had not been addressed.
At the same time the organization was buying the building, the city was also updating its codes. One of the changes, will now force Project 1020 to get a special use permit, which it is in the process of obtaining.
(Read more: fox4kc.com | FOX 4 – WDAF)