Mayor's Task Force to End Homelessness

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Mayor's Homeless Task Force met on January 11, 2026, at 3:30 PM in Council Chambers, located at 200 East Main. The meeting covered 6 agenda items, the majority of which were informational in nature, including committee reports from the Supportive Services and Prevention Services Committee, the Funding and Partnership Committee, the Peer Cities and Shelter Models Committee, and the Community Engagement Committee, as well as an update on a Homeless Shelter Tour. One vote was taken during the meeting, resulting in the approval of the meeting minutes. No public comments were heard during the session.

Attendance

The following individuals were recorded at the meeting held on January 26, 2026.

Present: - Allen - TC - Jeff - Charlie Corn - James - David Shad - Jenny - Chuck Allinger - Jeannie Ramsey - Reverend McFarland - Council Member Beasley - Council Member Sheehan - Council Member Brown - Tiffany

Late: - Todd

Absent: None

A total of 14 individuals were present at the meeting. No members were recorded as absent. Todd attended but arrived late.

Votes and Decisions

The following motion was considered and decided during the January 26, 2026 meeting:

• Approval of Meeting Minutes 0:01: A motion to approve the meeting minutes was made by Allen. The motion was decided by voice vote and passed. No roll call was conducted, so individual member votes are not recorded.

Budget and Financial Actions

One significant financial matter was discussed at the January 26, 2026 meeting involving a federal grant termination with major implications for local services.

• SAMHSA Grant Termination: A $3,000,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was reported as terminated, directly impacting the City of Lexington and other agencies that relied on the funding. The termination affects Narcan distribution programs as well as other services supported by the grant. No resolution number was identified in connection with this item.

No additional budget resolutions, appropriations, or financial actions were recorded for this meeting.

Contested Items

• SAMHSA Grant Termination: The sudden termination of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants emerged as a point of community opposition during the meeting. The termination resulted in a loss of $3 million in federal funding, with the impact falling on services provided to the homeless population. No additional details regarding the specific parties involved in the dispute or the outcome of any deliberations on this matter were recorded in the available data.

Approval of Meeting Minutes

1:01

The board reviewed the minutes from the previous meeting. Allen made a motion to approve the minutes with corrections. The motion carried, and the minutes were approved.

Update on Homeless Shelter Tour

1:33

The task force received an update regarding an upcoming tour of various homeless shelters, scheduled for February 26th. The discussion was informational in nature, providing members with details about the planned site visits.

No specific concerns, debates, or additional details were recorded in connection with this agenda item beyond the announcement of the tour date. The item served as a logistical update to keep task force members informed of the upcoming activity.

Supportive Services and Prevention Services Committee Report

2:04

TC presented the Supportive Services and Prevention Services Committee Report at the January 26, 2026 meeting.

The presentation covered the committee's findings related to homelessness services, with discussion focused on the following areas:

• Service Gaps: TC outlined gaps identified by the committee in current homelessness services and support systems.
• Future Plans: The committee shared plans and considerations for addressing the identified service gaps going forward.

The item was informational in nature, and no formal action or vote was taken as a result of the presentation.

*Note: Additional detail on specific findings, data points, or recommendations discussed during this agenda item was not available in the source materials for this summary.*

Funding and Partnership Committee Report

21:15

Sub-chair Wershman presented the Funding and Partnership Committee Report, providing the board with an overview of the committee's recent discussions and deliberations.

The committee's report covered three primary areas:

• Current funding landscape: The committee reviewed the organization's existing funding sources and overall financial position.
• Potential reallocations: Discussions were held regarding the possibility of redirecting or reallocating funds, though specific details were not provided in the summary record.
• SAMHSA grant terminations: The committee addressed the impact of recent terminations of grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which represented a notable development affecting the organization's funding outlook.

The report was presented as informational in nature, meaning no votes or formal actions were taken as a direct result of this agenda item. The discussion appears to have been intended to keep the full board apprised of funding developments, particularly in light of the SAMHSA grant terminations, which may carry implications for program delivery or budget planning.

No additional speakers beyond Sub-chair Wershman were noted in connection with this item.

Peer Cities and Shelter Models Committee Report

35:17

Council Member Beasley presented a report on behalf of the Peer Cities and Shelter Models Committee, providing an overview of the committee's purpose and its planned activities going forward.

The presentation was informational in nature, with the committee outlining its focus on examining effective shelter models by looking to peer cities for guidance and best practices. A key component of the committee's upcoming work will involve presentations from peer cities, which are intended to help inform the committee's understanding of what shelter approaches have proven successful in comparable jurisdictions.

No vote or formal action was taken on this item, as it served as an introductory briefing on the committee's scope and direction. The report was received as informational by the body.

Community Engagement Committee Report

47:33

The Community Engagement Committee presented an informational report on its plans to conduct engagement sessions with various community groups to gather input on homelessness solutions.

Key speakers on this item were Chuck Allinger and Jeannie Ramsey, who outlined the committee's planned outreach efforts. The presentation focused on the committee's approach to engaging different segments of the community as part of a broader effort to collect perspectives and input that could inform homelessness-related initiatives and solutions.

No vote or formal action was taken on this item, as it was presented for informational purposes only.