Lawrence targets woman who opens home to downtrodden

By Heather Staggers

Debbie Nall has thrown open the doors to her three-story house to these individuals and more. She's now looking to sell her home and move because the city of Lawrence, KS is threatening big fines if she continues to help out the less fortunate.

Lawrence has an ordinance that says residents in a single-family zoned neighborhood cannot have more than three unrelated guests in their home over a 90-day period. Nall has made her case, but city officials say if she doesn't stop that they are going to issue hefty fines.

The city recently cited Nall after neighbors claimed. She says two of the guests mentioned in the citation were sergeants based at Fort Leavenworth who are in between relocations.

"I've lived here 26 years. From the time I've lived here, I've taken in over 90 people," Nall said.

Her home has six rooms that hold up to six comfy beds that she offers to anyone needing a warm place to say. She dishes up food for her guests daily.

"Usually it's abused women, displaced women or people who have gotten out of the hospital who don't want to die in the hospital," she said. "If people only knew the blessing that comes out of it."

Shelters, churches and other nonprofits call Nall when they have someone needing a place to stay. Nall said she lets people stay as long as they need until they get back on their feet.

"These are her guests. The house is not overflowing. If you have eight bedrooms, own your home, how can the city impose fines for opening your home to guests?" her daughter wrote to KCTV. "Not renters. She takes no money. She asks for no help. She has worked her whole life to pay her house off and now the city fines her heavily for opening her doors."

Nall nearly broke down when discussing the situation. She hopes the news coverage can soften the hard hearts at City Hall against her.

While some neighbors think her efforts shouldn't be done in a residential neighborhood, others say they don't have an issue with what she is doing. City of Lawrence officials declined comment, citing people being out of the office due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

"I'm not against the ordinance. I just wish they would add an amendment so I can continue to do what I'm doing,'" she said. Because Lawrence is a college town, there are areas in which you can have multiple residents and guests in a residential area, but Nall's neighborhood is not one of them.