KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A local homeless shelter is making a big change. reStart, one of the city’s largest homeless service agencies, says it’s getting to the root of homelessness and turning its East Ninth Street location into transitional housing.
reStart started renovating its building in May. Six months and $2 million later, the renovations are almost complete. The agency is building four-person units for 48 men and 42 women on two separate floors.
Equeecia Hill, a woman who struggles with homelessness, commented on the progress of the renovations while FOX 4 was given a tour of the facilities.
“At least here while living in transitional housing I’ll be able to come in and go out anytime I want to, and have some place I can lay my head when I get back,” Hill said.
Equeecia credited reStart for helping her get back on her feet. The 20-year-old is applying for jobs and going back to school. She isn’t the only one who’s benefiting from the program.
Mike Richardson, a contractor on the renovation, said 15 years ago reStart helped him get his life on track.
“They showed me that there was more to my life than messing around out there on the streets,” Richardson said.
Mike said he quit partying and got married. He calls working on this project — ironic. reStart’s CEO, Evelyn Craig, believes it’s easier for homeless people to get back on their feet when they know where they’re going to sleep each night, especially people like Equeecia.
“A young woman like that at incredible risk in emergency shelters where there’s limited security, limited resources and at even more risk on the streets. You don’t even want to think about that if that were your daughter,” Craig said.
“I’d rather be here than anywhere else,” Hill said.
reStart will open its new units on November 12th. Organizers say it will take about a week to move everyone in. A grand-opening celebration is planned for the 18th.