The Impacts of the Safer Kentucky Act, One Year Later

The impacts of the Safer Kentucky Act, one year later

Advocacy groups said the bill has effectively criminalized homelessness without providing them the resources to solve their problems.

OHPI addresses homelessness prevention efforts on one year anniversary of Safer Kentucky Act

Tuesday marks one year since the Safer Kentucky Act went into effect through House Bill 5. The legislation allows for citations for illegal camping."Homelessness is increasing locally and nationally," Jeff Herron said.Herron is working to prevent homelessness daily."We have a need for more permanent solutions," Herron noted.The need for increased shelter space in Lexington is on the rise. Lexington's 2025 "Point-in-Time" count from a study commi…

Critics say Kentucky’s ‘Safer Kentucky Act’ hurts, not helps, homeless after one year

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — It’s been one year since House Bill 5 — known as the Safer Kentucky Act — took effect, creating the crime of “unlawful camping” among other measures. Now, some advocates and service providers say the law is punishing Kentuckians experiencing homelessness rather than helping them. Angela Spalding, with the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, said proponents claimed the law would push people to move out of homele…

One Year Of House Bill 5: Hundreds of Unhoused Kentuckians Have Been Cited for 'Unlawful Camping' - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

One year after 2024’s House Bill (HB) 5 went into effect, the harms of the sweeping legislation that made Kentucky one of the first states to ban street camping are already clear. As of July 2, there have been 425 unlawful camping charges in district court in 30 different Kentucky counties, according to statewide data. That’s an average of more than one unhoused person cited or arrested for unlawful camping each day.  While many harms of HB 5 wi…