Figures are beginning to roll in from Kentucky's annual homeless K-count. While initial numbers for the city of Lexington are down, the figures may not show the entire picture.
According to preliminary figures, K-Count volunteers found 37 people living on Lexington's streets. That's compared to a reported 91 unsheltered people two years ago. But, Charlie Lanter, Director of the city's Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention, says those current statistics require further review. "I wouldn't necessarily read into that that we have a big drop in homelessness. What it probably means is more people have moved out of the cold and into the shelters," said Lanter. "It probably means were doing a better job of sheltering people, which is a great thing."
Lanter expects the final count to be similar to past years. He says shelter space is usually available in the Lexington. "In other communities, people have to call and get reservations for a shelter bed and once they're full, they're full, and you're gonna have to be on the street," he said. "We're really fortunate that our primary shelters really don't turn anyone way."
Lanter says the annual K-count helps determine the makeup of the Lexington homeless population and that helps align resources to meet the need.
In Pikeville, shelter direction Anna Coleman says there were 30 people sheltered and another 40 living unsheltered. She says the eastern Kentucky shelter has doubled in size. In Pineville, Eulane Brock says volunteers counted nine homeless people living in shelters in the southeast Kentucky city.
?
