LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mayor Linda Gorton, joined by Commissioner of Housing Advocacy and Community Development Charlie Lanter and Mayor's Task Force on Homelessness Chair Diane Fleet, outlined the task force's priority and long-term recommendations for addressing homelessness and the need for additional shelter space in Lexington, according to a release from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.

Gorton said she asked the task force to identify ways to work with community partners to provide services that would help as many people experiencing homelessness as possible find stability and move into permanent housing.

The effort follows the Emergency Homeless Shelter Study, released in June 2025 by EHI Consultants, a Lexington community planning firm. The study included a comprehensive review of the city's emergency shelter system, identified current and projected needs and service gaps, and examined national models. It concluded that Lexington's homelessness response system had made progress but was constrained by a shortage of permanent, accessible, year-round emergency shelter capacity.

After the study's release, Gorton formed the task force and asked it to turn the findings into actionable recommendations while gathering community input. The group began meeting in November 2025.

Members reviewed needs, funding streams and models used in peer cities. They organized four subcommittees, which met independently and reported to the full task force at each meeting. The group also heard presentations on strategies used in other cities and sought input from the community.

The release that accompanied the announcement describes the task force's work, but the detailed list of recommendations, including specific shelter proposals and funding estimates, is not included in the material available for this report. Readers can review the city's full release for the complete set of recommendations and the next steps the administration plans to take.