Mayor's task force recommends permanent shelter campus to aid in fight against homelessness

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — Mayor Linda Gorton and members of her homelessness task force unveiled a plan they say could reshape how Lexington responds to homelessness, releasing a report with recommendations ranging from immediate steps to long-term solutions.

Among the key proposals is a plan to transform the city's temporary winter shelter on Versailles Road into a permanent campus for housing and support services. The report also recommends creating a centralized intake system so people can more easily connect with shelter, housing and treatment services, and calls for keeping the current winter shelter open while city leaders explore a long-term future for the property.

The task force report identifies one of its biggest challenges as a system that can be difficult to navigate for people seeking help. As city leaders look for long-term solutions, advocates say the need for shelter remains urgent.

"We can't stand by as people of faith, as people of compassion, as people of Lexington, Kentucky, and allow people to freeze in our streets," Ginny Ramsey of the Catholic Action Center said.

Charlie Lanter, commissioner of Housing Advocacy and Community Development, said the current system makes it difficult for people experiencing homelessness to know where to turn.

"If someone says I'm homeless in Lexington, where do I go? The answer right now really is, well, it's complicated," Lanter said.

He added that a single, always-available access point could make a significant difference.

"If we just had a place anyone could go at any time 24/7, it reduces confusion, it helps people get to the right place. It'll also help us then," Lanter said.

City leaders say funding could come from a mix of existing city resources, federal housing dollars and opioid settlement funds.

"We've got a little bit of money from Fund Balance in the prior year...the mayor set aside some of the opioid funds for some of the work that will need to be done out there with people in recovery. We have got a couple of options with our community development block grant HUD funds that we receive every year," Lanter said.

Lanter said the Versailles Road campus, once transitioned, would serve a specific population.

"Once we transition the Versailles Road campus will be for seniors and families with children, and the idea is that is a significantly lower impact population as far as neighborhoods go," Lanter said.

But Ramsey said the recommendations only go so far and that some of the community's most pressing challenges are not addressed in the plan.

"My concern particularly is that the most of the core and persistent challenges our community faces with those experiencing homelessness are not addressed in this. That includes the mentally ill and the addicted," Ramsey said.

She added that a broader, community-driven effort is also needed.

"We need a community-driven solution in addition to what the city solution through the task force is, otherwise, we are not going in the right direction," Ramsey said.

The next step could come as soon as this fall, when city leaders expect to issue a request for proposals to manage the Versailles Road campus.

The Task Force’s recommendations are divided into two categories: priority recommendations and long-term recommendations.

The top five priority recommendations are:

• Maintain the 1306 Versailles Road campus for temporary seasonal shelter while permanent development proceeds, with stronger public safety and neighborhood coordination.
• Begin the transition of the Versailles Road campus to a permanent comprehensive housing and services campus, serving families with children, adults age 55 and older, and persons with disabilities.
• Create a coordinated intake and triage system, beginning with a mobile model that can connect people quickly to the most appropriate housing, shelter, treatment, or other setting.
• Strengthen strategies that prevent people from entering emergency shelters when a safe and appropriate alternative can be identified.
• Establish a small, independent advisory group to review implementation progress, identify challenges, and help keep the work aligned with the Task Force's intent.

Long-term recommendations include supporting existing shelters where local investments can expand capacity or improve service quality; establishing regional coordination to help connect people experiencing homelessness in Lexington connect to their home communities; and develop community-based case management and improved caseload ratios.

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