Lexington nonprofits to organize survey of homeless populations’ needs ahead of winter season

WEKU | By Shepherd Snyder

https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s362/audio/2023/08/082923ssb-wp-web.mp3

An in-depth survey on the needs of homeless people across Lexington is being organized Wednesday by Central KY Housing and Homeless Initiative, the Catholic Action Center and other volunteers.

The survey is meant to provide a more in-depth look at the homeless population of Lexington, including those in transitional living spaces like jails and hospitals.

“People who are in programs, it may be a 28 day program, they go in as homeless, they’re coming out as homeless, they need to be counted,” Catholic Action Center Director Ginny Ramsey said. “People who go into jail homeless aren’t going to come out housed.”

The survey will be used to figure out what the needs of the city’s homeless population are ahead of the winter season. Ramsey also said it is especially important because of the effects of COVID-19 on those who were previously housed.

“We’re looking at an increased problem we know (exists) because of the folks who have been evicted, the aftermath of COVID and the aging of our population, the number of people who are elderly and disabled, who have no alternative for shelter, ” Ramsey said.”

The results of the survey will be released sometime next month.

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Republished with permission from WEKU.

Photo by The Lexington Times