Catholic Action Center street survey shows increase in Lexington’s homeless population
Originally published by WEKU.
A street survey from Lexington’s Catholic Action Center shows the city’s homeless population has grown to 3,034 people. That’s an increase of 25.9 percent since last year.
The survey shows a 24.1 percent rise in the unsheltered population, and a 15.6 percent decrease in those living in temporary housing with friends or family.
Advocates like Ramsey also reported those experiencing homelessness in Kentucky’s rural counties are coming to Lexington to find more resources.
The portion of that number accounting for those sheltered, unsheltered or in transitional housing is also 60 percent higher than the city’s survey earlier this year. LexCount reported a population of 825.
The Catholic Action Center survey also accounts for those in hospitals, detention centers or recovery programs.
Ginny Ramsey is the center’s director.
“Our methodology is the same,” Ramsey said. “We pulled all the things that weren’t counted in the HUD count so that we could make it apples and apples.”
Advocates expressed a worry Lexington doesn’t have enough shelter to accommodate the surge.
But David Peale from Louisville-based Peale Workforce Solutions says they’ve bought property they intend to use to house 200 homeless people this winter.
“We secured a facility for $1.3 million but we keep getting hit with the zoning is bad, or this or that,” Peale said. “I know that when a community wants a business here, there’s conditional use for these types of things.”
Peale says they’d like to open the shelter November 1 if they get zoning approval.
The full results from the Catholic Action Center survey are available here.
** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation.
Originally published by WEKU.
Republished with permission.
