District 17 Newsletter

Louisville Metro Government sent this bulletin at 09/02/2022 03:48 PM EDT

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markus winkler - louisville metro council - district 17

September 2, 2022

Friday Thoughts

Happy Friday! I hope you are doing well and getting ready for a relaxing holiday weekend!

This week, I want to touch on a challenge that I know is important to many of you and one I have written about in the past - the issue of homelessness and panhandling. I hate to be repetitive, but this is an issue that is still visible across our community.

First, let me start by saying that I recognize these issues are complicated. I can only touch on some of the high points in this type of format. I hope you will forgive me for oversimplifying some of these topics as we could quite literally write reams about any one of them. I've tried to focus on only the most salient points for today but am always happy to discuss further in a coffee meeting or some other format. I also recognize that not all homeless people panhandle and not all panhandlers are homeless. Finally, as a society we have a moral obligation to help those most vulnerable, though we must acknowledge that our resources are finite and trade-offs are often required.

On the issue of homelessness - the most recent report I received stated that more than 10,000 individuals in our community had some contact with homeless services in the last year. These are 10,000 unique individuals who experienced homelessness at some point. On any given day, according to the Point-in-Time count, there are approximately 1,000 people who are homeless. One important caveat - this doesn't mean there are 1,000 people living in tents. Many of these individuals are staying in one of our homeless shelters. This number also covers, for example, a family who is on the waitlist for a shelter spot but living with a friend or family member until a spot opens up. There are around 250 people considered unsheltered. 

While the problem of homelessness has many causes, quite a few individuals have very difficult situations to address and require extremely resource-intensive assistance. These may involve serious criminal histories, substance abuse issues, or mental health challenges. The city simply does not have enough supportive housing to help these individuals today as they require more than simply a unit to live in - they require care, counseling, and in some cases, 24/7 support. We are making some progress on this front, having funded the Safe Outdoor Space (SOS) and a permanent supportive housing facility in one of our initial tranches of American Rescue Plan funding. The SOS is up and running and the supportive housing is being constructed, offering help to some of the most vulnerable in our community. While these efforts will begin to address the need, the supply we are creating still falls short of the number of permanent units needed and so more will need to be done over time to address this challenge. Still, we have multiple options available for many of those in need should they choose to take advantage. You can read more here regarding available resources, how you can help, or reporting a concern. 

As to panhandling, again at the risk of oversimplifying, we have some people who panhandle because they don't have a better option and some who do so because they see it as an opportunity to capitalize off the goodwill of others. I have written extensively about the "Another Way" program we funded with Goodwill to help the first group of individuals, so I won't rehash that here. I will just provide the update that Goodwill is in the process of acquiring additional vans and staff to expand the program so areas can be served more frequently.

For those who panhandle for the second reason, only we (collectively) can solve this problem. I've touched on this before, but our homeless outreach teams will tell you one of the worst ways to help individuals is to simply give money from your car. In addition to the risk of that money going to drugs or alcohol, another unfortunate outcome is possible as well. Some of the individuals on our corners are being trafficked, meaning they are brought there not of their own free will. 

I know we all want to help when we see someone in need. That's one of the things that makes Louisville so special. However, I would ask that we do that by supporting any of our legitimate service providers - The Salvation Army, Coalition for the Homeless, St. John's Center, or any number of other providers. Please know that there are resources available to those in need, and we make every effort to give people access to those resources. People will ultimately have to choose to take advantage of what's available, but we stand ready to help as best we can.

Contact the District 17 Office

Markus Winkler
17th District Councilman

502.574.1117
markus.winkler@louisvilleky.gov

 

Kip Eatherly
Legislative Aide

502.574.3462
kip.eatherly@louisvilleky.gov

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Important Numbers

Animal Services   473-7387
Codes & Regulations   574-2508
EACM   426-2824
Health & Wellness   574-6250
Jefferson Co. Clerk   574-5700
KY Science Center   561-6100
LG&E   589-1444
LMPD (8th Division)   574-2258
Louisville Water   583-6610
Louisville Zoo   459-2181
Mayor's Office   574-2003
Middletown Library   245-7332
MSD   540-6000
NE Regional Library   394-0379
Parks   574-7275
Planning   574-6230
Public Works   574-5810
TARC   585-1234

PDS Weekly Activity Report

Each week, Metro Planning and Design Services (PDS) creates a report listing all new land use applications in Jefferson County. These requests can come in the form of waivers, changes in zoning, landscape plans, sign permits, and more. There are two cases this week involving property located in District 17:

13110 Old Henry Road - This request is for a change in zoning from R-4 (Residential) and M-2 (Industrial) to M-2 on 5.77 acres for the purpose of heavy truck storage. You can click here for a one-page overview of the rezoning process in general. Should you have questions or comments about this specific case, please contact the case manager at jay.luckett@louisvilleky.gov. 

9903 Brownsboro Road - This proposal involves a revised detailed district development plan for an almost 14,000 square foot mixed-use development on 1.6 acres. The current plan calls for three separate lots: a restaurant with a drive-thru, a mixed-use office and retail space, and a coffee shop with a drive-thru. The case manager for this one can be reached at clara.schweiger@louisvilleky.gov.    

BBB Shredding/Recycling Event

BBB


The Better Business Bureau is sponsoring a shredding/electronic recycling event on Saturday, October 1 from 7 a.m. until noon at Kroger in Middletown. For those of you who couldn't make this past Saturday's event at Eastern High School (or if you could, but had difficulties getting through the line), this will be a great opportunity to get rid of those unwanted documents or electronics. For more information on the event, click here. 
 

Eastern Area Community Ministries - Give for Good Day

As some of you know, our community ministries have done an incredible job helping Louisville residents through some difficult times over the last couple of years. One of the ways they do that is through utility assistance. Eastern Area Community Ministries (which serves zip codes 40222, 40223, 40241, 40242, 40243, and 40245, among others) disbursed $66,500 in LG&E assistance in 2019. Since COVID arrived, however, the demand has grown beyond what they are capable of meeting. EACM has allocated just shy of $96,000 already this year. All LG&E assistance funds have now been exhausted with no expectation of additional funds until 2023. Individuals and families now seem to be utilizing the food pantry to offset the cost of utilities. From May to July, EACM saw a 30% increase in the number of individuals served through the food pantry.   

With that as background, I hope you will consider helping Eastern Area Community Ministries on September 15 for their Give for Good Louisville day. EACM is hosting an in-person event that evening from 6-8 at MozzaPi, 12102 La Grange Road. You can grab a bite of pizza, make a donation via Give for Good Louisville, and be eligible for some great door prizes! Your donation could make an enormous difference in the lives of our neighbors who rely on EACM for help with utilities, food, diapers, and much more.   

(I should mention that there are a large number of quality organizations that take part in Give for Good Louisville covering all sorts of causes - education, entrepreneurship, housing, veterans, etc. Your help with any of these would be greatly appreciated.) 
       

Mayor's Hike, Bike, & Paddle - Monday

bike route

The bike route for this year's Hike, Bike, & Paddle is the longest route yet at 18.2 miles.


The Mayor's Hike, Bike, & Paddle events will take place Monday, September 5 beginning at 8 a.m. The Louisville Community Boathouse at 1325 River Road will serve as the gathering place for the day. 

Hikers - There will be four different routes for those who want to hike. One route will cross the Big Four Bridge, one will go to the base of that bridge, one will go to the Kennedy Bridge, and one will go to the Belle of Louisville Wharf. 

Cyclists - Cyclists will travel 18.2 miles, down River Road to the entrance of Hays Kennedy Park and back to the Community Boathouse. 

Paddlers - Those interested in paddling will take a five-mile course through the McAlpine locks to the Shawnee Boat Ramp. TARC will offer a free shuttle for the return trip to the boathouse.  

T-shirts will be available for the first 3,000 participants. The Bike Injury Alliance of Kentucky will be fitting 500 bike helmets for cyclists who don't already have one. In addition to the events above, demonstrations and group participation in yoga, Tai Chi, and Zumba will be available as well. Click here for more details. 
 

Hurstbourne Parkway Paving Project

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has a paving project planned for Hurstbourne Parkway between Westport Road and KY 22 (Brownsboro Road). Work is scheduled to begin Tuesday on base repairs. Some of you may have already noticed signs along the roadway referencing this part of the project where work will occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Once these repairs are complete, the contractor can prepare for the new layer of asphalt. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by November 15. 
 

Boo at the Zoo Tickets

Zoo


Tickets to the Louisville Zoo's popular Halloween event, Boo at the Zoo, go on sale to the general public on Tuesday at 11 a.m. (Zoo members already have the opportunity to purchase tickets.) Costumes are encouraged for this event which includes favorite characters brought to life, music, photo opportunities, and, of course, a safe place for kids 11 and under to trick-or-treat. Boo at the Zoo will take place October 1 and 2 and every Thursday-Sunday evening in October.

Tickets are $13 for non-members and $6.50 for members. Children two and under do not require a ticket. Your ticket covers not only admission to the event, but also parking, the Spooktacular Carousel, the "not-so-itsy-bitsy" Spider House, and the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow attraction. For more information or to purchase your ticket with your chosen date and time, click here. 
   

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