Rural homelessness in Kentucky presents a special set of problems for those trying to help. A 2024 Kentucky Housing Task Force report finds homelessness is perceived as an urban problem.
However, the number of unsheltered homeless individuals has rapidly risen outside of Lexington and Louisville, going from 650 in 2019 to more than 1,000 in 2024.
Liam Niemeyer is a reporter with the Kentucky Lantern. He has been working on a series on rural homelessness in Kentucky. In an interview with WEKU, he said the lack of people in these areas impacts how much help can be provided.
“With fewer people, there's generally fewer financial resources to pull together. Muhlenberg County is a county that has elevated poverty rates, it's a county that's still trying to transition from its past legacy of coal mining.”
He said rural parts of Kentucky, especially the former coal fields, are struggling.
“It's still trying to find its economic future, and with that sort of economic transition comes, maybe not as many resources, financially, to help people who are experiencing homelessness as there may be in a larger city like Louisville or Nashville.”
Niemeyer said some of the common issues the homeless face include addiction and other mental health issues. He said that while some can work, some struggle to find work, and having limited or no transportation to get them to a job does not help.
More of the Kentucky Lantern's Liam Niemeyer's reporting on rural homelessness in Kentucky can be found here.
