A new partnership between The Daniel Pitino Shelter in Owensboro and the Henderson County Homeless Coalition is closing the gap in services for unhoused individuals in western Kentucky.
The partnership will provide prevention and intervention services for individuals and families in jeopardy of becoming unhoused and provide shelter for anyone living on the street. The city of Henderson, Henderson County Fiscal Court, and the Henderson Housing Authority, provided funding and a building where services can be rendered.
Harry Pedigo, Director of the Daniel Pitino Shelter, said the partnership will strengthen the response to at-risk individuals in multiple counties in the region.
“So we look for this to be very beneficial for our own county, but also the surrounding counties,” Pedigo said. “That’s our whole focus, is we want to try to meet people where they’re at, and keep people in their home in their respective communities because we all need that social support system, and when individuals are forced to leave their hometown it disrupts that and creates another barrier.”
The partnership will focus on prevention of vulnerable individuals at risk of losing stable housing by providing emergency rental and utilities assistance and access to transportation. It was also provide intervention services, such as substance abuse and mental health treatment, temporary housing through shelters, and medical care.
According to Pedigo, the partnership is desperately needed now, after a state law went into effect on July 15 that criminalizes sleeping in public spaces.
“Now they’re more important than anything,” Pedigo said. “There’s a lot of counties in western Kentucky that don't have any sort of homeless services at all. And so it's very important with House Bill 5 because as people get cited, a citation turns into a ticket, a ticket turns into a missed court date, which then turns into an arrest warrant. It will just jam the whole system up.”
House Bill 5, also known as the Safer Kentucky Act, was passed by lawmakers earlier this year. A portion of the bill prohibits public camping and can result in fines and arrest for anyone caught sleeping in public spaces. Homeless advocates say the bill doesn't take into account the complexities of securing stable housing, like a lack of affordable housing, food insecurity, and limited addiction and mental health services.
Pedigo said House Bill 5 doesn’t provide resources to properly address homelessness.
“Homelessness is so multifaceted that it takes all the agencies to close these gaps,” Pedigo said. “I like to say that House Bill 5 puts the cart before the horse. But that’s what we’re here for to help navigate that barrier and to overcome some of the other barriers they’re facing.”
