Kansas City's Newest Homeless in Affluent Johnson County

Not easy fixing a home-cooked meal in a motel bathroom. But Erica Davis tries. On a recent evening,Mexican rice simmered in an electric skillet on the sink next to the toothbrushes. Gets pretty crowded in there,especially if the kids gather around. But ever since the family found itself homeless because of cut-off utilities,she and her husband have tried to keep life as normal as possible for their three daughters,ages 11,8 and 5. That means meals in,chores and same bedtime. But one room with two queen-size beds and a view of a parking lot trash bin is hardly home sweet home. Davis does laundry in the bathtub,and a large blue cooler under the sink serves as the family’s refrigerator. The girls,though,say it’s an adventure staying in the south Kansas City motel. They play in the long hallway outside their room and meet other kids like themselves. Read more:Tough times relentlessly add to ranks of ‘new homeless’–KansasCity.com