LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - The number of homeless people in Lexington has declined substantially recently, thanks to recent community investments in affordable housing and homeless prevention programs, city officials said.
There are nearly 400 fewer people living on the streets and in emergency and other temporary housing in Lexington than there were two years ago, a 26 percent decrease, Mayor Jim Gray announced at a news conference Monday.
The number of people experiencing chronic homelessness has been cut in half within a year, Gray said.
“We cannot claim victory, but we can claim progress,” Gray said.
The data comes from an annual count done each January in which volunteers scout more than 60 different locations to count homeless people in shelters and living outside. According to this year’s count, there are 1,064 homeless people in the city, including 98 who are considered chronically homeless: someone who has spent more than 12 months being homeless or has had multiple episodes of homelessness over three years.
Since 2014, the city has allocated $750,000 for homeless prevention programs and $2 million to a fund for affordable housing units.
The city’s office of homeless prevention and intervention has used some of that money to house about 30 people through a program that helps those who have not been served through the traditional shelter system, executive director Charlie Lanter said.
“We still have much work to do, but Lexington is on the right path to ensure this is a great American city, where everyone can find access to affordable housing and the necessary supports and opportunities to thrive,” Gray said.
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