La Crosse Homeless Services Coordinator shares six-month plan on Pathways Home

LA CROSSE (WKBT)-- The city and county will be improving resources for the homeless community in La Crosse over the next six months, including more help for those experiencing drug addiction and mental illness.

They also want to create connections to long-term housing. It's all part of its Pathways Home plan.

Outreach director and homeless services coordinator Brian Sampson says homelessness has worsened in La Crosse since the pandemic.

"It's something that's become more visible as far as living out on the streets. More members of the general public noticing the affects or experiencing different effects," he said.

The comprehensive action plan seeks to reverse that trend, with the ultimate goal of ending homelessness in La Crosse by 2029.

Since Pathways Home was announced in January, it has managed to meet several of its goals. Achievements so far include establishing a housing connection process, launching a specialized county behavioral health unit and gathering data on area homelessness.

Sampson says he hopes to build on those early successes over the next six months.

"We're really looking at how can we take existing resources in our community and make them more efficient," he explained. "So how can we help streamline the process for someone who is experiencing mental health issues, how can we streamline the process for someone who is abusing alcohol or using drugs. How can we make quicker connections to housing."

Housing is one resource Sampson wants to make more efficient.

"Do we have enough housing in the community of La Crosse? We know we need more especially more affordable housing. That's a big resource so how can we connect people to those existing housing options."

Ideally, housing solutions will integrate other kinds of support tailored to each individual.

"Whether that would be job training for somebody, counseling for somebody else, it looks different, but I think that affordability piece, that can also come with somebody," said Sampson.

Not everybody is seeing a difference just yet and some members of the homeless community are skeptical of the plan's ability to deliver on its promises. One of them is Alan Nagle, who has been homeless for four years.

"Once you get down, the city keeps you down. They don't want us to be anywhere, and they come and take everything."

Over the next six months, Pathways Home also plans to establish a peer support team. That team will include people who were previously homeless.

Project leaders hope those peer support specialists can use their personal experience to help those who are currently homeless.

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