LOUISVILLE, Ky. -  Mayor Greg Fischer D-Louisville announced a series of initiatives that will receive funding from the Louisville Metro Government to continue to address the issues of homeless individuals and families in the city.

Working in conjunction with the Coalition for the Homeless, the city will choose initiatives to receive $1 million from the city's fiscal year 2020 operating budget. The initiatives must also align with eight recommendations outlined in the University of Louisville study, "Solving Street Homelessness in Louisville, Kentucky, " released in June. 

“Louisville, like many American cities, has seen a rise in unsheltered homelessness in recent years and an increase in homeless encampments. We’ve made clear progress but there’s more work to do to ensure that every Louisvillian has a place to call home,” said Mayor Fischer said, adding that, “There is no one-size-fits-all solution. We have to help our homeless population deal with and overcome their challenges one person at a time. That’s what a compassionate city does.”

"The Coalition for the Homeless is so excited to see the city's commitment to addressing the needs and best practices identified in the University of Louisville ‘Solving Street Homeless in Louisville, Kentucky’ Study,” said Natalie Harris, Executive Director of the Coalition for the Homeless. “We know these important programs saved lives over the last six months and are excited to see them extended and improved."

The allocations include:

  • Funding to move the transitional storage launched at a temporary location in March 2019 to a permanent location at the Salvation Army that will have expanded hours. The storage provides a place where individuals experiencing homelessness can store their belongings when going into a shelter.
  • Three options for low-barrier shelter beds via St. Vincent de Paul, Wayside Christian Mission, and the Healing Place.
  • Continued funding for rapid rehousing services and emergency shelter for homeless families, provided by Volunteers of America
  • Ongoing street outreach teams enhanced by social workers and other professionals who can provide behavioral and mental health counseling, drug and alcohol addiction assessments and counseling services, as well as legal expertise.
  • The University of Louisville will evaluate the effectiveness of the individual programs in the initiative

“We know that no one idea will address the multiple issues impacting people who are homeless, nor the complex needs of this diverse population,” said Eric Friedlander of the Homeless Encampment Task Force. “That’s why I am so appreciative of the work, expertise, and understanding of our partners, including organizations that are part of the coalition, and the street outreach groups that engage people where they are. Working together, we’ve shown we can make a difference.”

The UofL report was the result of a five-month assessment student that looked at the process of applying best practices to Louisville's Continuum of Carer, a process developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that helps communities address the homeless problem in a coordinated, comprehensive and strategic way.