LEXINGTON, Ky. — Members of the Mayor’s Task Force to End Homelessness on Wednesday heard a presentation from a Nashville organization that shelters 800 people a night on a $15 million privately funded budget, and grappled with how to design solutions that serve not just the chronically homeless but also families, the elderly and those teetering on the edge of losing housing.
The wide-ranging meeting, held two weeks after a brutal cold snap that pushed Lexington’s shelters well past capacity, touched on case management shortfalls, the cost of inaction and the launch of a series of community listening sessions that begins Thursday.
Nashville model draws interest — and sticker shock
A subcommittee studying peer cities and shelter models reported on a virtual presentation from the Nashville Rescue Mission, a faith-based organization that operates two campuses — one for men, one for women and children — and serves as the sole emergency shelter for Middle Tennessee. The mission employs 130 to 138 staff, offers 24/7 wraparound services including mental health and medical care, and runs a life recovery program that has helped some participants save enough money to buy homes upon completion.
The entire operation runs on private donations with no government funding, a detail that impressed task force members but also raised questions about replicability. Council Member Tyler Morton, who co-chairs the subcommittee, said the group was particularly drawn to the wraparound services model and on-site employment pipeline…