Title
A Resolution approving the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention (OHPI) Standard Operating Procedures in relation to encampment removals in Fayette County. [Council Office, Maynard]
Summary
Body
WHEREAS, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s overall goal and
priority is consistency, transparency, and accountability to our internal teams, to our homeless community and to our public as a whole;
WHEREAS, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government has a significant
governmental interest in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the general public and preserving the public order and maintaining the safety of persons who use Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government property;
WHEREAS, there are multiple strategies for responding to homeless camps,
including humane displacement, short-term accommodation, and long-term arrangement;
WHEREAS, humane displacement tools include formal and advance notification
of the closure of an encampment, engagement by agencies that will help those at risk of displacement locate temporary shelter, and commitment to achieve permanent supportive housing solutions;
WHEREAS, persons experiencing homelessness should be entitled to
protection from arbitrary and capricious treatment by local government;
WHEREAS, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention, with consultation and cooperation, from both internal and external stakeholders have developed standard operating procedures in order to govern humane displacement of those who are unsheltered;
WHEREAS, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government through the Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board designated as the Continuum of Care Board which includes Continuum of Care partner memberships of the LFUCG Chief Administrator’s Office, the Lexington Police Department, the Division of Environmental Services, the Division of Code Enforcement, the Division of Parks and Recreation, the Division of Streets and Roads, stakeholders, elected officials, mental health professionals, faith community, landlords, and a multitude of other community members, provides a structure to oversee, review, and hold accountable these standard operating procedures;
WHEREAS, the Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board and the Continuum of Care membership unanimously voted in full support of this resolution and the Standard Operating Procedures on June 20, 2019;
WHEREAS, the Fayette County homeless system estimates that 5,707 unduplicated individuals experienced a homeless episode between October 1, 2015 and September 31, 2016. This includes households who were staying in an emergency and transitional shelter and those who sleeping in places not meant for human habitation. On any given night, it is estimated that 785 unique individuals are experiencing homelessness;
WHEREAS, any count of unsheltered homeless is likely an undercount due to the
difficulty in counting these individuals;
WHEREAS, ultimately, the most effective means of addressing homelessness for
most persons is to provide affordable housing, however wait lists for affordable housing and income based housing are extensive and often closed;
WHEREAS, the population of those experiencing chronic homelessness far
exceeds the current permanent supportive housing resources;
WHEREAS, some individuals and families unhoused are not suited or eligible for
shelter options in Fayette County;
WHEREAS, local shelters cannot provide year-round over-flow beds for all
unhoused persons in Fayette County; and
WHEREAS, there is a dearth of resources for case management and financial supportive services to prevent a homelessness occurrence in Fayette County.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE LEXINGTON-FAYETTE URBAN COUNTY GOVERNMENT:
Section 1 - That the Standard Operating Procedures adopted by the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention through its Board, which are attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference, be and hereby are approved.
Section 2 - That the Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board shall maintain and update Standard Operating Procedures consistent with the community standards, with input from stakeholders.
Section 3 - That this Resolution shall become effective on the date of its passage.
PASSED URBAN COUNTY COUNCIL: