La Crosse officials developing ways to help homeless individuals at Houska Park

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) - City officials in La Crosse are trying to get people living in Houska Park into permanent housing.

For the second year in a row, the City is allowing homeless individuals to stay at the park next to the Isle la Plume waste water treatment facility.

While living at the park, people are being connected to different community services through a variety of agencies, many of which are trying to secure housing for the unsheltered.

However, La Crosse Homeless Services Coordinator Brian Sampson says there just aren’t many places in the community to house people.

“That’s what we can’t control right now, that’s what the housing agencies and other nonprofits can’t control is what housing options are open and available,” Sampson expressed. “They’re working really hard, people who are down in Houska are working really hard, but just one of the biggest challenges right now is just housing in general.”

In the meantime, the REACH Center is among the agencies regularly sending teams to Houska to help in whatever way is necessary.

“They go out to the park three days a week, and they are the ones that are making contact with the people that are living there so they know their needs,” said REACH Center director Loretta LaPoint.

LaPoint adds many of the people living at Houska are in need of everyday items to make their stay more comfortable, such as tents, clothing, food, and more.

The REACH Center is holding a donation drive through July 1 to collect many of those items, which will then be distributed evenly throughout Houska.

Donations can be dropped off at the center at 212 11th Street South from 8 AM-4 PM through Thursday, and from 8 AM-2:30 PM on Friday.

The community is being asked not to bring food or items to Houska, as the REACH Center provides a centralized location to sort through all of the donations.

As REACH and other agencies directly assist the residents of Houska, Sampson says the City is continually working to get people out of the park.

“We are actually in the process of a couple of different ways to try to engage more landlords, and to try to partner and offer support for landlords who are willing to rent to people with imperfect rental histories,” Sampson explained.

The City is allowing unsheltered individuals to stay at Houska through the end of October, and Sampson says plans are being formed for how to help after that point.

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