Lexington officials want to help residents find affordable housing with a new partnership program.
Mayor Linda Gorton announced Thursday Lexington is working with City Wise on a new website to help tenants search for affordable and market-rate apartment listings. It also includes financial and legal assistance.
The software company already works with nearby cities like Cincinnati and Louisville.
“Because it's a government source, it will rank higher on Google in comparison to other rental platforms,” Luannabelle Wieseman, a City Wise representative, said at a Sept. 10 press conference. “Since it's a trusted, credible government source, Google values that, and when you search for it, it'll pop up higher on search engines, which will allow the renter and consumer to view more options more accessibly.”
The city said more than 2,000 people have already used the website as of the Thursday morning announcement. Of those visitors, 17% have been searching for affordable housing units. The other 83% have been searching for market-rate housing.
The partnership comes as the city faces a housing shortage. Lexington is 22,000 housing units short, according to a study from EHI Consultants.
“When people are desperate for housing, they can become vulnerable to misinformation and scams,” council member Tyler Morton said. “We have residents who are searching through multiple websites, social media pages, and listings, sometimes unsure whether property is actually even available, whether information is current, or whether the person asking them for money is even legitimate.”
Morton said 10% of the revenue City Wise makes from the project goes back to housing services, like rental assistance.
Monday, a city spokesperson said the city isn't paying for the partnership.
Mayor Linda Gorton said housing advocates received 933 calls last year from people looking for affordable options.
