$2 million awarded to Northern Kentucky to curb homelessness, officials seeks public input

COVINGTON, Ky. — Hundreds of thousands might be devoted to easing homelessness in six Northern Kentucky cities, however earlier than any plans transfer ahead, neighborhood leaders are asking residents to weigh in on issues and options.

To deal with the necessity for homelessness help and supportive companies throughout the nation, Congress appropriated $5 billion in ARP funds for the Division of Housing and City Improvement’s current HOME Funding Partnerships Act (HOME). On September 22, 2021, the Metropolis of Covington was awarded $2,044,421.

These funds might be used on efforts to deal with and stop homelessness within the six cities of Kenton and Campbell counties. Referred to as the Northern Kentucky HOME Consortium, these cities are Covington, Newport, Erlanger, Ludlow, Bellevue and Dayton.

The Metropolis of Covington is the lead entity for the Northern Kentucky HOME Consortium.

There are already some concepts up for consideration — together with shelter diversion packages, eviction diversion, and psychological well being and substance abuse companies.

Kim Webb, govt director of the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky, believes the largest want is extra inexpensive housing.

“You lose your job after which you’ll be able to now not afford to stay, after which I believe all of it simply spirals down,” she stated. “We’d like housing that is inexpensive based mostly on the wages that individuals are incomes or based mostly on the earnings that they’ve.”

ESNKY opened its doorways for the primary time within the winter of 2008 because the area’s solely cold-weather shelter for adults. In February 2022, it opened its doorways to a brand-new state-of-the-art facility with 68 beds, a Daytime Navigation Heart for showers, laundry, mobile phone charging stations, an onsite medical clinic and neighborhood accomplice rooms.

Webb stated anybody 18 or older in want is welcome to return by and with so many in the neighborhood dealing with completely different challenges equivalent to unemployment or underemployment, disabilities, home violence, severe psychological sickness and substance abuse, her shelter commonly reaches capability.

“We see each motive that somebody goes to go to a shelter however for the rationale for why folks keep in a shelter, I believe ithe query is — when you’re within the door how do you get out of the door?” Webb stated.

2022 knowledge reveals 265 folks skilled homelessness in Northern Kentucky. That quantity is predicated on a Ok-Depend, the Kentucky point-in-time depend that paperwork the variety of folks experiencing homelessness. The figures don’t essentially replicate the entire homeless inhabitants, however somewhat the variety of sheltered and unsheltered folks noticed on the time of the depend.

In Campbell County, on the night time of the annual point-in-time depend, 75 folks have been experiencing literal homelessness whereas 47 have been unsheltered. 28 folks have been in an emergency shelter, 10 of them have been youthful than 18.

There have been 190 folks experiencing literal homelessness in Kenton County whereas 72 folks have been unsheltered. 100 and fourteen folks have been in an emergency shelter, 23 have been youthful than 18.

Earlier than any plan is finalized, neighborhood leaders are welcoming public enter. You may ship feedback or recommendations to Covington’s Federal Grants Supervisor at jwallace@covingtonky.gov or name (859) 292-2147. These might be accepted till the top of the day on March 26.

The plan will then probably go to the Covington Board of Commissioners for overview on March 28.