LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The number of people experiencing homelessness in Lexington have dropped by 12.5% between 2019 and 2020, according to this year's LexCount.
153 volunteers covered 75 areas across the county. The teams found 31 people living unsheltered -- all were offered assistance. Altogether, the Count found 689 people in Lexington are experiencing homelessness, including 603 people living in emergency shelters, 55 in transitional housing, and 31 unsheltered.
The numbers, a snapshot of those experiencing homelessness, show a 55.4% decrease in overall homelessness since 2014, and a 66% decrease in people living without shelter since 2014.
"We’ve made progress, but we know we still have work to do,” said Mayor Linda Gorton, who thanked all of the volunteers who formed teams and went out into the community to count people without shelter.
In addition to LexCount, the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention, has provided funding to launch Fayette County’s first Mental Health Court, implement four new permanent housing programs, a ticket home program, an Intensive Street Outreach program, payee program, local transportation program in partnership with LexTran, and many more.
