LEXINGTON, Ky. — The city of Lexington has partnered with CityWise Software to launch a new website designed to help Fayette County residents find housing they can afford.
Mayor Linda Gorton made the announcement Thursday morning, calling it a significant step forward in addressing the city's affordable housing challenges.
"This site gives our citizens and people who help them another tool for locating housing they can afford," Gorton said.
The platform goes beyond simply connecting people with housing.
"It also connects tenants with local resources," Gorton said.
The site is still in the pilot phase, but nearly 2,300 visitors have already used it. Of those visitors, 17 percent have been searching for affordable units, while 83 percent are searching for market-rate housing.
First District Councilmember Tyler Morton said access to reliable information is a basic but extremely important resource for Fayette County residents.
"I'm big on making sure our residents not just have access to units but have access to resources and pathways to home ownership," Morton said.
The platform also helps protect residents from rental scams. CityWise vets all listings by meeting with every landlord before they are added to the site.
"We meet with every single landlord that gets put on the website on a face to face call or in person so no one can list on the site without meeting with me and my team," a CityWise team member said.
LuannaBelle Wieseman, part of the CityWise team, called the agreement a "huge win for the city."
City advocates received 933 calls last year from people who needed help locating new housing they could afford — by far the most requested housing need in Lexington.
More information is available at apartments.lexingtonky.gov.
