Latest news with #PathwaysHome
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
La Crosse Mayoral candidates, in their own words
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – With just a little over a week before the Spring Elections, the two finalists for mayor in La Crosse are finishing up their election campaigns. Chris Kahlow and Shaundel Washington-Spivey have spent the last few months campaigning to become the next mayor of the city of La Crosse. Both are UW La Crosse Alumni and have spent plenty of time in La Crosse after graduation. Kahlow has been a business owner and La Crosse City Council president for the last 2 years. Kahlow says, 'We have chaos and uncertainty in Washington (DC). We have political divisiveness in Madison. Now we need a leader who is steady and experienced and able to move La Crosse forward.' Shaundel Washington-Spivey has served on the La Crosse School Board and founded Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge. A local non-profit. Washington-Spivey says, 'I think it's time for us to have a mayor that understands what it's like to do grassroots organizing, be boots on the ground doing the work, listening to the people, and moving that to city hall.' Both candidates say topics like homelessness, small businesses, and affordable housing are things they will focus on if they are elected mayor. Washington-Spivey says, 'I'd be looking at making sure that we have a variety of housing in our neighborhoods and making sure our neighborhoods are accessible to everyone. In addition to working with our unhoused populations. Elevating and advancing the Pathways Home program is… definitely an initiative that I plan to proceed with. Also making sure we're proceeding with a vibrant business culture and seeing what supports we can bring from the state over into La Crosse to increase both our businesses and business support.' Kahlow explains, 'I'd be supporting strong public safety to make sure our residents and businesses are safe. It means working collaboratively on homelessness and housing issues. Making sure we have regional, state, and federal cooperation on that homelessness issue. It also means I will prioritize a mix of housing choices. we need to balance affordability with maintaining the character and charm of our neighborhoods.' If elected, Kahlow would become La Crosse's first female mayor and Washington-Spivey would become La Crosse's first African-American mayor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pathways Home in La Crosse hits 100 families re-housed mark
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – For over a year, the Pathways Home plan has been working to build the system of their 5-year plan. Earlier this week, they announced that 100 families have gone from homeless to housed since the plan's launch. Project leader Jim Drees says there is a broad spectrum of housing the people have been able to enter, 'Some of them are going to city public housing, others are going to private landlords. Some of those are market-rate. Some of those are voucher assisted.' Drees says the work that's been done to reach this milestone wouldn't have been possible without the help of community organizations, 'We've got those who are actively doing shelter. The Salvation Army and Catholic Charities Warming Center have a huge role in this system. They, in some cases, are very involved in terms of what housing placement may be.' Michael Quam of the Salvation Army says many helped through the plan were previously sheltered at their location, adding that collaboration is key, 'Pathways Home is a great program for folks and for the organizations to come together as work towards functional zero homelessness. We think about, then, how are we working into the future to make sure that this sort of success is sustained?' Becky Koske of Couleecap agrees that collaboration is what has helped Pathways Home get to where it is. She says as the milestone is being celebrated, everyone agrees there is still more work to be done, 'We have to ask how can we also come up with ideas to address those who are still experiencing homelessness. Where are the gaps in our services? Where can we better pool resources? Where can we better come together in a way that really helps people to successfully get into housing?' As of the end of 2024, the Pathways Home total homeless population was listed at 275. Goals for the plan in 2025 include creating more specialized housing and a surge shelter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
