LEXINGTON, Ky. — As winter creeps closer, some cities are turning their attention to getting the homeless population out of the cold.

What You Need To Know

  • Lexington plans to use local hotels as a means of getting unhoused people shelter this winter 

  • The city had a temporary village last winter but could not secure land for it this year 

  • LexCount, a survey conducted this past January, shows 825 people are homeless, a 1.2% increase from 2023 

  • The city spends more than $3 million annually to address the crisis 

Lexington’s official LexCount survey, conducted this past January, shows 825 people are experiencing homelessness in 2024. That's a 1% increase from 2023.

This contradicts numbers from a street survey conducted by nonprofits released Wednesday, which showed a nearly 26% increase. The city said more than 1,000 people in the Catholic Action Center report residing in recovery programs and don’t meet the industry standard for homelessness.

But either way, hundreds will need help. Charlie Lanter, city commissioner of housing advocacy and community development, said their plan for the winter is utilizing area hotels. 

It’s a plan the city used during the pandemic era. 

“In the pandemic, we had to social distance our folks," Lanter said. "We had to spread them out. You couldn’t put them in these big rooms like we do with shelters, so we used a lot of hotel rooms during the pandemic to help people get distanced and help them recuperate if they got (COVID-19)." 

Last winter, Lexington had a temporary village on its northwest side. Lanter said they couldn’t secure land for that model this winter.

“What we’re doing is in each one, we’re blocking out rooms that will be held just for us," Lanter said. "That way, at least we know where people are and know how to find them and get them services." 

Lanter said they’re finalizing contracts with three area hotels. Dozens of organizations have volunteered to bring services to people who will be staying in one. 

“In some ways, it’s better," Lanter said. "It’s a fixed residence, a little more private, formal bathroom facilities and probably a better bed. It's not a cot." 

District 1 Councilmember Tayna Fogle said she proposed $9 million be spent to build another permanent shelter, which was not included in the budget. Fogle is skeptical of the hotel plan.

“That is a temporary fix to what I see that is a chaotic situation," Fogle said. "We are in a state of emergency." 

Lexington spends more than $3 million annually to address homelessness. 

“It doesn’t matter if it’s 1,000 people, 5,000 people or three people; it’s too many," Lanter said. "One is too many, and our response as a community is going to be the same either way, in that we’re all in." 

According to the 2024 LexCount, nearly 7% of people experiencing homelessness are in the 18-to-24 age range.

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