City plans to purchase Old Louisville property for 'Safe Outdoor Space' for the homeless

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The city of Louisville plans to purchase property in the Old Louisville neighborhood in an effort to provide additional shelter and services for the area's homeless population.

Metro Government is using $1.6 million in American Rescue Plan funds to buy the former headquarters of the Archdiocese of Louisville at 212 East College St. to pilot what the city is calling a "Safe Outdoor Space."

It will provide space for up to 50 homeless people and their pets. Couples will be allowed but no children.

"It is meant to be a temporary stop for individuals that ultimately put them on a path to housing stability," Mayor Greg Fischer said.

A Safe Outdoor Space is described as a location "where individuals experiencing homelessness can live temporarily, secure their belongings and access supportive wrap-around services."

It could also become a site for affordable housing in the future, Fischer said.

"In this new space, men, women, couples and their pets can live outside, secure their belongings and access food, showers, toilets and, importantly, services to help them address the issues keeping them from more permanent housing," he said.

The city said it plans to allow homeless residents to set up tents on the property while it installs semi-permanent shelters and shared bathrooms, including showers. Portable toilets and shower facilities will be on hand until a permanent structure is built.

City officials said this is just one piece of a larger plan to deal with homelessness. Metro Councilman Bill Hollander, who chairs the budget committee, said homelessness is a priority for using American Rescue Plan dollars.

"The solution to houselessness is housing, and we need much more permanent, supportive housing and other affordable housing in Louisville," Hollander said.

The property is located in a commercial area, so there are no homes nearby.

Fischer said there will be security, but he pushed back against any comparisons to a refugee camp.

"People are free to come and go, but we think there should be a safety element associated with this," he said.

The city plans to hire an operating manager to oversee the Safe Outdoor Space and will issue a Notice of Funding Availability to identify one. The goal is to have health care and housing navigation on-site, as well as personnel who can connect individuals to other nearby social services providers.