[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6679931,"mediaKeyId","2388890-6db19acc3090a8a8c9ac7eee75a9bf7e","parentId",2388890,"title","Council advances code enforcement ordinance changes and landlord‑tenant codification after yearlong review","audioSeconds",2418,"startMs",3097000,"endMs",5515000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2388890-6db19acc3090a8a8c9ac7eee75a9bf7e&start=3097&end=5515","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2388890-6db19acc3090a8a8c9ac7eee75a9bf7e/thumbnail_3097000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6679931/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Council-advances-code-enforcement-ordinance-changes-and-landlordtenant-codification-after-yearlong-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6679931-0bea6725b5bb60c74ae6826cbad8bee0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170766&Signature=MFW0ZjanCDbEqsE6JG9So6I~Qn~Dd85O0qyQ-83PN8o4H-pdlxNMiaqkqBwfFNpgDIvgsf5iAsoX6WbSgmF3twxr2rYEK-Ee0mpIkqRgBE69BmGF6t8tLvUP2Wum~lVji-WjnymRut~U5GgnAbpHZyFezeVp5715iLX~eC0wU5wnLJe7IsH5JLRF88wGlXKJaHAgaoNZJuMmaOTuJ1ZKVBJpFdzKhZwxOm-yqNdj-YqWuKunj5oW3Q98UNYE2JzMkmYlnodtU8aZws8XKFHfhMa~xX56pBHzITcqyCzr9eVIpQiOmOZlpwX9bg0NbPr4MuNEN4ym4PO99MIHp8wFpw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lexington","date","2025-02-25T00:00:00Z","article","Councilmember Gray presented a yearlong review of code enforcement that included town halls, a resident survey, procedural reforms and proposed ordinance changes; the committee voted to report two ordinance amendments out to the full council for consideration.

Gray said the effort began in response to recommendations in the mayor’s racial justice report and included outreach events across multiple districts, a resident survey and close work with staff in the Division of Code Enforcement. “One person cannot do this alone,” she said, thanking legislative aides and city staff for participating in the effort.

The committee heard resident concerns about lack of follow‑up after complaints, inconsistent map displays of complaints and the need for better customer service and communication. Gray said 711 residents started the survey and 216 completed it; she noted that many survey respondents were older residents and that multilingual translations were provided for communities with non‑English speakers.

Director Lee Steele described internal reforms: accreditation from the International Accreditation Service, new formal training for housing officers, cross‑training with LexCall, conversion of field staff to fully mobile laptop‑equipped inspectors, recruitment of a bilingual Spanish‑speaking housing officer, and an emphasis on outreach and abatement to reduce excessive fines. Steele said the department is now fully staffed at about 21 field operatives and supervisors and has centralized some programs previously dependent on other funding sources. He said ongoing priorities include employee retention and adopting the 2024 building code later in 2025.

On ordinances, Gray proposed two sets of changes: (1) amendments to the nuisance code (chapter 12) to add graffiti as a nuisance (so it can be abated administratively rather than handled only as a criminal matter) and to reduce a specified penalty period from 24 months to 12 months; and (2) a local codification of state landlord‑tenant statute language into a new code section to make tenants’ protections easier to find. The committee’s law division confirmed the landlord‑tenant language mirrors the state statute (word‑for‑word as presented).

Gray moved to report both items to full council. The committee recorded voice votes to report the nuisance ordinance amendments and the landlord‑tenant codification out of committee; the motions passed and will next go to work session and council consideration. Committee members said they intend to continue work on other related reforms later in the year and to coordinate further with the Continuum of Care and other city boards where appropriate.

The committee also discussed graffiti abatement practice and noted that most graffiti complaints have been in right‑of‑way locations rather than private property; Steele said the department tries to work with property owners and managers and prefers abatement and corrective work over excessive fines where possible.

The committee did not adopt the ordinances at the meeting; it voted to send the amendments to full council for final action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lexington - Social Services and Public Safety Committee - Feb 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council members voted to report nuisance ordinance amendments (including graffiti treatment and a reduced penalty window) and to codify state landlord‑tenant protections in local code after a year of town halls, surveys and department changes; the committee also heard a departmental update on training, staffing and procedural reforms.","taxTitle","Lexington City, Fayette County, Kentucky","taxId",5707,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6679937,"City staff seek dedicated encampment coordinator and expanded outreach as unsheltered counts rise",985,1664000,2649000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2388890-6db19acc3090a8a8c9ac7eee75a9bf7e&start=1664&end=2649","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2388890-6db19acc3090a8a8c9ac7eee75a9bf7e/thumbnail_1664000.jpg","/articles/6679937/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/City-staff-seek-dedicated-encampment-coordinator-and-expanded-outreach-as-unsheltered-counts-rise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6679937-f148fb8c7dee7fc388c597d0c3572ba8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170766&Signature=SsZFcwShZ7AKE5z9YtftdJQ6fQD4ONbj2G2C3DAWDclMJ4lVmVhJZhgRQ2KqGakvkcvPkZ9qJr2qGBnNbcQvtNVV9u3GycSIi0Us1fTzd5MTT9ooSvU4WIC~QCNB3JZaaTF7i2tVJbXuZde5ABha~zhRhuZ253GnC27tvWcxfC2Iiv-86loPQrGuHFjP326i0zTkU-K5kzQe5oQv5lH-2Qn1mCnmlf4uUBhwVoyO-idZ10UKixLgA8xmRZ7LAlvcJ6IpmrKtrT3Cjoh5xlGSnu5D1Qu7BqAYdnApiES0LyW7esEkq52EvOyjh2jNfsLaoqksiczojKoyXj9J1lwwIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeff Heron, director of the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention (OPIE), asked the council committee to consider a dedicated encampment coordinator and additional street‑outreach staffing to address a reported rise in unsheltered homelessness and encampments across Lexington.

Heron said outreach services meet people where they are, reduce barriers to assistance and connect unsheltered individuals to emergency and permanent housing. “Simply put, we need to put more resources into this area,” he told the committee.

Heron reviewed the history of local street outreach: a 2016 pilot funded at about $75,000; a 2019–2023 assertive outreach model run by Community Action Council funded at about $280,000 per year that paired outreach with intensive case management; and a more recent contract with the Hope Center funded initially at about $300,000 and now “just over $316,000 annually,” he said. He described the Hope Center team as operating extended hours, carrying an active caseload and adding peer mentors with lived experience.

Heron said the need for outreach has grown: the 2024 “Lex count” identified 82 unsheltered persons, up from 38 in 2023; Hope Center’s outreach contacted more than 500 people in its first annual period, he said. He also described operational costs: the city cleared 28 camps in fiscal year 2024, costing “over $50,000” in total and an average cost per camp that the director stated during the meeting. Heron warned that House Bill 5, which went into effect July 15, 2024 and made public camping unlawful, complicates outreach by increasing the urgency of responses and may push people into less visible locations.

To improve operations, Heron proposed creating an encampment coordinator position (salary and fringe estimated at $85,000 annually) and procuring a vehicle (estimated $45,000 initial cost) to enable staff to coordinate removals, manage contracted outreach partners and maintain timelines and administrative follow‑up. He also recommended examining the city’s Innovative and Sustainable Solutions Fund ordinance (identified in the presentation as ordinance 103‑2014) to remove a restriction that prevents using that fund for ongoing operations, which would allow more sustainable support for outreach if council chooses.

Council members asked about partner models and feasibility. Councilmember Morton asked whether public safety entities had been consulted about embedding outreach teams in law enforcement; Heron said recent discussions were limited and that staffing capacity in public safety would be a hurdle. He described alternative models—partnerships with paramedicine teams or colocating outreach in other agencies—that have been used elsewhere.

Councilmember Sheehan and Vice Mayor Dan Wu expressed support for an encampment coordinator and recommended that any ordinance changes be coordinated with the Continuum of Care and the homelessness prevention board; Sheehan said she would work with the director and board to develop recommendations. Councilmembers also asked about a feasibility study referenced in the presentation; Heron said EHI consultants are drafting a report and he expected a presentation of that study by late spring or early summer.

Heron stressed that outreach cannot end homelessness by itself and that interim and permanent housing options must expand. He recommended the city consider 24/7 outreach coverage and best‑practice models used in other cities to improve outcomes.

No formal council action to create the position or change the ordinance was taken during the committee presentation; members expressed support and asked staff and the homelessness board to continue refining proposals for the budget and for future council consideration.","The Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention proposed hiring an encampment coordinator and expanding street‑outreach funding after officials reported unsheltered counts more than doubled and encampment removals rose in 2024; the director also urged reviewing funding restrictions on the Innovative and Sustainable Solutions Fund.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6679941,"CASA of Lexington outlines volunteer-driven advocacy, warns funding limits curb capacity",1589,73000,1662000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2388890-6db19acc3090a8a8c9ac7eee75a9bf7e&start=73&end=1662","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2388890-6db19acc3090a8a8c9ac7eee75a9bf7e/thumbnail_73000.jpg","/articles/6679941/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/CASA-of-Lexington-outlines-volunteer-driven-advocacy-warns-funding-limits-curb-capacity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6679941-32534b7948b0c564cccd98d55a8f315a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170766&Signature=i-qdtEQAVOst~zB1S61APVNH5kqeDyv0k70ONhTAewXOlppntU7q~GkWNkntE~h--KIW~oOrULtzTo0ueIvsOsahTQaCthX62S0OWCOOE2WF54zvd9lue9EqtjctBuupZgcZw9WpMb-uXln98OEBv4jydbB3h~7hF2LHkwhLPLdCU2pQLODio0r8kVLIei0qSHSBpgjY3yyPh5YLEOUCvT4elkOKf9WeHbTmh~vFQDpjYA~3BSzu35nriH9uHl9Nwsl50hVhdol1EPQ5sp9D3UwetD2K3EFwt9164OOy9r3gBUCKpV0f~Jkvfpi9aItVuOixnsHyVqh7yaV3ABfRzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Melinda Jamieson, director of CASA of Lexington, told the Lexington City Council committee that the local Court Appointed Special Advocates program uses screened, trained volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children in family court and that the program’s capacity is constrained by funding and staff limits.

CASA of Lexington’s volunteers are matched to children or sibling sets, visit at least monthly and prepare court reports for judges, Jamieson said. “The objective of the CASA volunteer is to find a safe and permanent home for that child,” she said.

The update matters because CASA volunteers are often the only consistent adult connected to children moving between multiple placements, Jamieson said, and the program currently serves a fraction of the need in Fayette County.

Jamieson said CASA of Lexington is part of a national network and operates as an independent 501(c)(3). In 2024 the organization reported 275 volunteers and served 673 children across seven counties (Fayette, Bourbon, Woodford, Scott, Jessamine, Garrard and Lincoln counties). Jamieson said Fayette County accounted for the largest share of services: 63 volunteers and 423 children served locally in the last calendar year, with 60 new children entering the family court system in Fayette County alone during that year. She said the program is serving under 20% of local need.

On funding, Jamieson described a mix of private donations, local government contributions, fundraising events and grants. She said the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) federal funding that previously provided roughly $300,000 annually for the program has declined and is now about $138,000, and that a state non‑competitive grant administered by the Justice Cabinet and allocated through the Kentucky CASA Network is roughly $300,000 for the local program but faces future reductions. Jamieson said CASA of Lexington’s program budget for calendar year 2023 was “just shy of $1.4 million,” which equated to about $2,030 per child served that year.

Council members asked about other government funding and volunteer recruitment. Councilmember Sheehan asked whether the program receives other grants; Jamieson identified VOCA and the Justice Cabinet allocation and said the VOCA amount has decreased. Vice Mayor Dan Wu, a sponsor of the agenda item and a CASA volunteer, praised the program’s work and said he will seek support during the city’s budget process to increase the county’s contribution to CASA’s operating costs.

Jamieson described operational constraints created by state law that require a paid volunteer manager for every 30 CASA volunteers; she said the program needs both volunteers and paid staff to expand capacity and that recruiting and training volunteers has become more time‑intensive since the pandemic. She also described training and reporting requirements for volunteers (minimum age 21, 30 hours of initial training, annual continuing education and multi‑year case commitments).

Jamieson and council members also shared examples of individual outcomes where CASA advocacy led to corrected medical assessments and permanent placements. The presentation closed with an invitation for follow-up questions and additional detail about funding and evolving grant rules.

Jamieson offered to provide further documentation about grants and funding changes to council members who requested it.","CASA of Lexington told the council its volunteer program served hundreds of children across seven counties in 2024 but is meeting fewer than 20% of local need; staff and state/federal grants have shrunk, forcing increased fundraising and recruitment to maintain services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council advances code enforcement ordinance changes and landlord‑tenant codification after yearlong review

City staff seek dedicated encampment coordinator and expanded outreach as unsheltered counts rise

CASA of Lexington outlines volunteer-driven advocacy, warns funding limits curb capacity