The plan calls for a new community care campus, $8.25 million in assistance to prevent homelessness and $24 million for the creation of permanent affordable housing.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mayor Craig Greenberg announced the ‘historic’ investments being made to address homelessness in Louisville on Thursday.
According to a news release, Greenberg’s plan calls for a new community care campus, $8.25 million in assistance to prevent homelessness and $24 million for the creation of permanent affordable housing.
“Moving as fast as possible, with partners across the entire city, we have been hard at work on solutions to ensure families in Louisville have the resources they need to remain in their homes,” Greenberg said.
The news release states that the creation of a new community care campus will be located in the Smoketown neighborhood, just east of I-65. The facility will provide medical respite care, temporary housing, connection to community services and more.
The care campus will spearhead the gap in the care of those experiencing homelessness by assisting with the transition to temporary or permanent housing, reducing hospital readmissions and increasing care officials said.
The “key component” of this is that the facility will be a safe place for hospitals to discharge patients experiencing homelessness who need continuous medical treatment the news release stated. In addition, the care campus will include a temporary housing area.
Officials say Metro Government purchased the property along East Breckinridge Street to be used to provide a care continuum for patients who don’t require hospital-level care, but still need continuous medical treatment.
The news release states that the $8.25 million will be divided between the Louisville Urban League (LUL), the Association of Community Ministries and general mediation assistance and legal fees for families and individuals “navigating the complexities of eviction court.”
Officials say the $8.25 million comes from the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). LUL will receive $2 million with those funds going toward families and individuals struggling to afford permanent housing. The Urban League Team will specifically help clients with security deposits and first month’s rent.
Officials added that the Association of Community Ministries will be redistributing $5 million to go toward direct rental assistance to thousands of families and individuals facing eviction, specifically households which have already applied for assistance through the Healthy At Home Eviction Relief Fund.
The last $1.25 million will go toward general mediation assistance and legal fees for families and individuals “navigating the complexities of eviction court.”
According to a news release, Greenberg announced that Louisville will be making $24 million available for permanent affordable housing. Officials say the Metro is searching for partners to help create new permanent housing opportunities for low-income at or below 50% AMI.
“Today, instead of choosing between short-term and long-term solutions to this problem we are choosing to make a permanent difference and do both,” Greenberg said.
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