Coalition tackles affordable housing challenges

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- A lack of affordable housing has long been a complaint in Lexington.
On Tuesday night, people got together to try to find solutions to the problem.

Laura Slaughter of Gleanings House, Inc, sees first-hand the need for affordable housing in Lexington.

“I’ve met a lot of people who are living in their cars, renting couches because they just can’t afford housing,”Slaughter said. “It’s not okay that people have to choose whether they eat or are housed.”

Slaughter was one of dozens attending the Coalition for a Livable Lexington meeting at the Lyric Theatre.
The coalition is made up of affordable housing advocates and other community organizations aimed at tackling the city’s affordable housing needs.

“Affordable housing is one of the most important challenges our community is facing today,” said Brittany Roethemeier, the executive  director  of the Fayette Alliance.

Organizers say supply cost, inflation, rent price increases and wages are just a few of challenges developers of affordable housing are facing, not just locally but nationally.

“We can’t change the cost of materials, we can’t lower the price of lumber, but what can we do,” Roethemeier said. “We can work on reforming our and updating our planning and zoning policies to make it easier for the development community to build affordable housing. We have to identify where and our policies as a community.”

Even with affordable housing units going up, people in Lexington say more affordable places to live are needed.

“It’s time for us to recognize that we are short on affordable housing significantly and that we have over 22,000 households in Lexington that are paying 50% or more of their income just to be housed,” said Slaughter.

ABC 36 spoke with Charlie Lanter, the commissioner for the city’s Housing Advocacy and Community Development. He says the city is investing 13 million dollars in affordable units over the next couple of years.