LOUISVILLE, Ky. — This July will mark two years since the Safer Kentucky Act went into effect, a wide-reaching law that includes a ban on camping in public spaces.
What You Need To Know
- The enforcement of the Safer Kentucky Act has cleared large encampments but left Louisville’s homeless population scattered
- Louisville outreach groups said the law makes it harder to find people, connect them with services and keep them stably housed
- Supporters, including the bill’s sponsor, argued the ban is working as intended by linking people to resources, not criminalizing them
- The Safer Kentucky Act became law in July 2024
Homeless resource groups in Louisville said this ban has been detrimental to their efforts in helping the state’s most vulnerable population while supporters believe it connects homeless residents with life-changing resources.
Since the state banned public camping, downtown Louisville’s underpasses have been noticeably clear. In prior years, large homeless encampments were common…