Homelessness

There are a variety of factors that contribute to homelessness.  Pinpointing a singular cause would not capture the complexity behind the issue.  Still, regardless of the varying causes, homelessness is rooted in personal and social problems.  Lack of health care and day care, substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and lack of job training and education are only a few examples of what our homeless neighbors must work through to escape homelessness.

Contributing to these causes of homelessness are two broad trends that have occurred in the United States over the past 25 years that have significantly contributed to the rise of homelessness:

• A growing shortage of affordable rental housing
• Stagnation of wages and an increase in poverty

These nation-wide trends are obvious in our own back yard.  Between 2003 & 2005, the median renter household income in Lexington increased 5.5% from $27,298 to $28,811.  Unfortunately, during this same two year period the fair market rent of a two-bedroom apartment in Lexington increased 10%, from $565 to $622 per month while the hourly wages needed in Lexington to affordably rent this apartment increased from $10.87 to $11.96 per hour.

Worse, in Fayette County there are 45,766 renter-occupied housing units.  Of these, 20,642 households (45.1%) pay more than thirty percent of their household income on their rent.  Even more alarming, 6,691 of all renter households in Lexington (14.6%) are paying more than half their income to put a roof over their heads.

While the shortage of affordable housing grows and the stagnation of wages increases, community support is needed more than ever.  Unfortunately, that too is lacking among Lexington’s marginalized.  With such a wide variety of serious problems it can be overwhelming for a homeless individual to negotiate their way through the many agencies and programs designed to address their issues, especially when the most immediate need is finding a place to sleep.  In response to these problems the New Life Day Center was established as a one-stop outreach center where our homeless neighbors can receive community support based on their specific need on a case-by-case basis.

• 21% of people in Fayette County do not have access to healthy foods.  This includes grocery stores, health food stands, and farmers markets.
• 34% of children in Fayette County live in a single parent household.

• 7.8% of Fayette County citizens are unemployed and seeking work.  The national average is 5.3%.

¹ National Coalition for the Homeless, Who is Homeless?  June 2006.

² National Low Income Housing Coalition.  Out of Reach, 2003 and 2005.  Accessed at www.nlihc.org.oor.oor2003 and www.nlihc.org/oor/oor2005.

³ Statistics from 2005 LFUCS Consolidated Plan