LEXINGTON, Ky. — In January, Lexington took their efforts to capture the number of people that are unhoused around the city on the streets.   

What You Need To Know

  • Lex Count is supported by the Office of Homelessness, Prevention, and Intervention, Lex End Homelessness – a group of Continuum of Care and community volunteers that count’s those unsheltered on one night of the year
  • Lexington provided an update since the annual count in January
  • Lex Count found nearly 815 people were dealing with homelessness, emergency or transitional living
  • Lex Count relies on leaders and community volunteers

Homelessness and housing stability are two challenges Lexington continues to face, and city services, like its annual Lex Count, aims to help.

The community-wide effort takes concerns to the outdoors during extreme temperature changes like the winter, and this year specifically during a polar vortex. The purpose is to find out the number of individuals experiencing homelessness. 

Jeffrey Herron is the homelessness prevention manager for the city and said they were able to record the data because of help from over 150 volunteers. 

“It was the highest number of volunteers we have had in the event's history and I think that it allowed us to cover a lot of ground and arrive at some good data,” Herron said. 

This year, numbers for those directly unsheltered during the count saw a 5% rise with 32 in 2022 and 38 this year. While they say there was a 14% rise out of more than 800 overall, the city did see a decrease in families dealing with the issue and recorded an “all-time low” for kids who were homeless at the time. 

Herron said homelessness is a challenge that people can face before it even occurs.

“Not necessarily the population of those that are literally experiencing homelessness, but a lot of persons are at risk presently,” Herron said.

In what is being called a “historic” budget proposal for the city, Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton mentioned nearly $2 million being dedicated to affordable housing. That will include continuing construction and reconstruction of affordable and low-income properties. 

Herron said that while the count is an annual routine, it’s something he watches and monitors daily.

“If I see people sleeping outdoors, it’s something that I'm going to immediately notify my street outreach teams," Herron said. 

He said Lex Count not only points out areas that need attention, but shows how the city makes a difference when coming together.