AITHE ALLEN INDEXKANSAS CITY ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE

Kansas City’s risk-prioritization method

Prioritizing
Life and
Safety.

The Allen Index helps Kansas City identify which encampments face the greatest likelihood of serious injury or loss of life—and match each site to the right level of outreach, housing support and coordinated response.

See how the Allen Index worksFour domains · 100 points · One shared framework↓
ALLEN INDEX · EXAMPLE SCORE
68
HIGH51–75

The score establishes the starting response. Current conditions and documented stakeholder assessments inform the final decision.

LOW1–25MODERATE26–50HIGH51–75CRITICAL76–100
Explore the interactive scoring framework →

THE RESULTS OF A CONSISTENT APPROACHPublic progress · 2023–2026

Known encampments200+ → 402023 → todayLarge encampments75 → 12023 → todayCritical sites today0Three currently score HighSupport-centered closures15 / 15Remain closed to date
Verified completed actions65 Sweeps96 Decommissions15 Closures with SupportWhat does each response mean? →

Before the framework

The crisis was visible.
The response was fragmented.

Before Kansas City had a shared encampment response framework, large sites grew across civic spaces, wooded areas and waterways. Decisions were often driven by complaints or visibility—not one consistent measure of risk to life and safety.

THENSite-by-site reaction→NOWCoordinated, risk-based action
A large tent encampment near a civic building in Kansas City
Public spaces became crisis points.Visibility often determined urgency.
A large encampment covered by blue tarps near a city street
Large sites became deeply established.Conditions grew more complex over time.
A large encampment built among trees
Some risks were hidden.Remote locations complicated access and support.
A dense tent encampment with discarded tires
Every site was different.Human, environmental and safety risks overlapped.
An encampment beside a waterway
Location mattered.Water and infrastructure created added danger.
Tents and temporary shelters during winter
Weather raised the stakes.Cold and exposure could become life-threatening.
Tents outside a municipal building
Visibility was not the same as risk.The loudest complaint did not always mark the greatest danger.
Belongings and shelters lining a wooded path
Kansas City needed one shared picture.The Allen Index created a consistent starting point.

These photographs document the conditions Kansas City was confronting—not a judgment of the people living through them. They are a reminder of why the response had to become coordinated, housing-focused and guided by documented risk.

See the shift ↓

The shift

Shared Understanding
with community
and stakeholders

01

See the site clearly

Staff document the location and distinguish an encampment from a temporary sleeping spot.

02

Measure risk consistently

Trained assessors score the conditions that raise the likelihood of serious injury or loss of life.

03

Match the response

The score creates the baseline. Current conditions and documented partner assessments shape the final response.

04

Connect people. Close the site.

Outreach, housing, health, public safety, infrastructure and cleanup partners move together.

The Allen Index

A score built around one urgent question.

Which sites face the greatest likelihood of serious injury or loss of life?

Explore the interactive score →
ALLEN INDEX68HIGH RISK
LOW1–25MODERATE26–50HIGH51–75CRITICAL76–100
01

Location

Site size, jurisdiction and surrounding conditions.

02

People

Age, health, exploitation and violence risks.

03

Environment

Waste, sharps, vermin and hazardous materials.

04

Safety

Fire, traffic, infrastructure and access hazards.

THE SCORE STARTS THE DECISION.It supports—not replaces—professional judgment.

Response pathways

Risk sets
the pace.

Each pathway reflects a different level of urgency, notice and coordinated support.

NUMBERS SHOWNVerified City actions completed to date
01
Immediate danger

Sweep

Used only when a confirmed condition creates an immediate threat to life or public safety.

COMPLETED65→02
Expedited response

Decommission

For significant health or safety concerns requiring timely action and brief notice.

COMPLETED96→03
Planned response

Clearance & Closure
with Support

Repeated outreach, housing connections, partner planning, closure and follow-up.

COMPLETED15→

Proof of coordinated action

“Every Clearance & Closure with Support site remains closed.”

That includes the October 2023 pilot—the City’s largest interdepartmental encampment coordination effort at the time.

Pilot Site One

30+people sleeping overnight100+people present throughout the daySTILL CLOSED

Don’t stop at the headline.

Explore the numbers.
Understand the decisions.
See the progress.

OPEN THE PUBLIC RESULTS↗