LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Feed Louisville, known for delivering hot meals, tents and supplies to those experiencing homelessness, has drafted a plan they believe will end homelessness. 

They are asking the city for $38 million, 10% of its American Rescue Plan funds, to make it happen. 

The city recently announced it will be turning a property into an outdoor safe place for those experiencing homelessness, but Feed Louisville co-founder Donny Green said that won't solve the problem.

“It's not a solution to homelessness. It's a camp. It's just a legal camp as opposed to an illegal camp,” said Green. “You take a population of people, and you use what they refer to as containment systems or procedures, you're essentially creating an outdoor prison.”

Green said the only fix is permanent housing and stability.

“Tent cities won't do that. Safe outdoor spaces won't do that. Vouchers with no support won't do that,” said Green. “That doesn't create housing. You have to actually create the housing.”

He said the $3.8 million is the answer.

“Probably will never happen again, so it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to check into chronic homelessness in this city,” said Green. 

His team created the Feed Louisville Housing First Initiative and submitted it to the Metro Council. 

They calculated that 10% would cover immediate housing in available rental units with a fair market rate and ongoing support and services for 1,500 individuals experiencing chronic homelessness for up to a year.

Wrap-around support services will be included like TARC passes, cell phone service, food water, utilities, mental health and addiction support services, furniture, job training, legal services and medical services.

A program that will route non-emergency and/or non-violent 911 calls involving unhoused people and mental health issues would also be established. 

Green believes the plan would keep people from returning to the street, saving the city hundreds of millions that would support funding beyond the first year.

“We would see a huge drop, and people going to Metro Corrections. We would see a huge drop in 911 calls because people would be getting medical care and health care and mental health care on a regular basis. We would see a huge drop in services associated or services for EMS for fire for everyone,” said Green.

He hopes the city will see the plan as a solution and not invest and create more programs that don’t lead to permanent housing.

“We can be the first city to end homelessness in the United States, We can choose to be a truly compassionate city and do that,” said Green.

Green said there will be almost no criteria for individuals to qualify.

“If you are homeless because of COVID related reasons, if you are chronically homeless which means you've been on the street for more than a year, you qualify,” he said. “You're going to get an apartment, period.”

Earlier this month, city leaders shared their ideas on how to spend millions in federal COVID-19 relief funds. Mayor Greg Fischer and budget leaders of Metro Council outlined four priority areas, one of which is homelessness and affordable housing.