Fayette County Faces Rising Youth Homelessness Crisis as Local Shelters Reach Capacity

LEXINGTON, Ky. — An alarming trend is developing in Fayette County, where nearly 1,100 students from Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) experienced homelessness during the last academic year, and the numbers continue to rise.

Current reports reveal over 500 instances of homelessness have already been identified in FCPS for the current school year. Thus, the demand for resources is increasing, prompting community action.

Arbor Youth Services, a key organization addressing this issue, operates two shelters specifically aimed at youth – one for individuals under 18 with 10 beds, and another for those aged 18-24 with 20 beds. Executive Director Stephanie Spires noted, “Both of our programs are busting at capacity,” having served over 130 youth in the past year alone.

Spires emphasized that misconceptions about youth homelessness often focus on runaways or those voluntarily couch surfing. Instead, she pointed to a broader issue: families facing displacement due to a lack of affordable housing. “We have mothers that are having to make the hard choices to separate from their children and put them either with relatives or in a place like here at Arbor,” she stated.

Upon acceptance into Arbor’s shelters, individuals receive 24-hour support and extensive case management tailored to their unique needs. Chris Primeaux, a case manager with 11 years of experience at the 18-24 shelter, highlighted essential services such as obtaining identification documents. He mentioned, “A lot of them come to us with no IDs, no birth certificates, no social security card, and we have to help them navigate that system.”

The mission at Arbor extends beyond immediate support; it focuses on preventing chronic homelessness by instilling a sense of hope and helping youth acquire necessary life skills. Primeaux adds, “I’m just trying to keep them from becoming chronically homeless and keep them from getting into that mindset that this is all that they have.”

In addition to its direct services, Arbor Youth Services is launching a program called Community Connectors, aimed at recruiting and training community members to work with families in need, with plans to begin in November.

As homelessness among youth continues to escalate in Fayette County, Arbor Youth Services remains pivotal in addressing the growing crisis, striving to provide essential resources and support for vulnerable families.