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Authorities cleared another homeless camp in Louisville last week, forcing people who lived there to find shelter elsewhere. And this closure was only the latest in a string ofsimilar camp removals, as Louisville struggles to find solutions for its homeless population.
Some of those recent solutions include putting more than $500,000 towards low-barrier shelters and item storage; a five-month study commissioned by the city also found changing policies and city practices could help homeless people afford housing.
But any larger policy changes will take time, and in the meantime, Metro Government has cleared out many of the homeless camps, citing concerns about health risks and public safety. Under an ordinance passed last year, officials are required to provide a 21-day notice before it clears an encampment, and after the closures homeless peopleoften set up a new camp, only to eventually be vacated from the next spot.
This week on In Conversation, we talk about homelessness in Louisville and what officials are doing to address it. Our guests include:
- Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Natalie Harris
- Metro Government Chief Resilience Officer Eric Friedlander
Listen to In Conversation live on 89.3 WFPL Friday at 11 a.m. or follow along with our live tweets at @WFPLnews. Call with your questions or comments at 502-814-TALK or tweet us with the hashtag #WFPLconversation. Weβre also on Facebook.