Lexington city officials continue to examine ways to address homelessness in the central Kentucky community. The discussion Tuesday at City Hall included talk of additional resources.
Homelessness Prevention Manager Jeff Herron began his presentation with information on numbers. He said the January totals for those in emergency shelters, transitional housing and unsheltered from 2023 to 2024 showed just over a 1% increase. But, Herren said the specific unsheltered number went from 38 to 82. Council Committee Chair Jennifer Reynolds would like to investigate adding more street outreach workers.
“Those outreach workers connective with people and help getting them resources, building relationships with them..being able to go back to them and get them off the streets,” said Reynolds.
Herron, meanwhile, said the large overflow sleeping center used last winter, “Hope Village” will not be replicated this year. He says efforts to find a new location and potential operator didn’t pan out. Motel rooms will be used for the November through March period.
It’s likely the City of Lexington will establish a year-round permanent shelter to help address homelessness. Herren said a physical building will be key.
“Just because it’s a brick and mortar building doesn’t mean that it has to operate exactly in the same way that our existing shelters do. For example we could be looking at a model that includes something more like a single room occupancy instead of a full-on congregate shelter with just one large kind of sleeping space for a population,” said Herron.
That concept will continue to be studied. The Social Services and Public Safety Committee will take up the issue of additional outreach workers. It could also consider establishing an encampment coordinator.
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