KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. Share your story idea with Marlon.
—A month after North Kansas City passed a new ordinance making it illegal to camp or sleep in public spaces, a local service provider says the city made the decision without involving organizations already working with people experiencing homelessness.
North Kansas City homeless ban draws criticism from local service provider
Rita Pearce, director of the Northland Assistance Center, has spent 20 years helping people experiencing homelessness navigate some of their toughest days. She says the city moved forward with the ban before the right support systems were in place.
“I think they put the cart before the horse on this particular ban,” Pearce said.
Pearce says her most pressing concern is the absence of a shelter in the Northland…