Social Services & Public Safety (SSPS) Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Social Services and Public Safety Committee met on May 5, 2026, at 1:00 P.M., with J. Reynolds presiding. The meeting covered three agenda items: a Family Services Update, a Periodic Code Enforcement Update, and a presentation on Eviction Diversion and Right to Counsel. All three items were informational in nature, meaning no binding decisions were required on any of them. The committee heard no public comments during the meeting and took a total of one vote. Overall, the session functioned primarily as a briefing, giving committee members the opportunity to receive updates across a range of social services and public safety topics.

Attendance

The following members were present at the Committee meeting held on 2026-05-05:

• J. Reynolds
• W. Baxter
• D. Wu
• C. Ellinger
• T. Morton
• S. Lynch
• T. Eblen
• L. Higgins-Hord
• J. Hale
• A. Beasley

All 10 members were in attendance. No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The following motion was considered and decided during the May 5, 2026 Committee meeting:

• Approval of March 17, 2026 Committee Meeting Summary: A motion to approve the summary of the March 17, 2026 Committee meeting was made by Ellinger and seconded by Hale. The motion passed unanimously. No roll call vote was recorded, so individual member votes are not available.

Budget and Financial Actions

The committee considered one financial item during the May 5, 2026 meeting:

• Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Affordable Housing Fund — $59,000,000 appropriation: The committee took up a proposed appropriation of $59,000,000 directed to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Affordable Housing Fund. No specific vendor or recipient beyond the fund itself was identified in the materials, and no resolution number was associated with this item in the available data.

No additional budget items, contracts, or financial resolutions were recorded for this meeting.

Family Services Update

Director Shelia Horton-Holt presented an update on the Division of Family Services during this agenda item. The presentation was informational in nature and covered the division's mission, history, and core programs designed to support families with young children.

Horton-Holt outlined the foundational elements of the division's work, providing the committee with context on how the division operates and the populations it serves. The update addressed the range of programs the division administers in support of its mission to assist families with young children.

No vote or formal action was taken on this item, as it was presented for the committee's information.

Periodic Code Enforcement Update

35:37

Director Oliver Lee Steele delivered a periodic update to the Committee on code enforcement activities. The presentation covered ongoing efforts related to certification, training, and various programs designed to improve housing conditions.

The update was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action taken by the Committee. No additional details regarding specific program outcomes, case numbers, or training milestones are available in the provided record.

Eviction Diversion and Right to Counsel

51:13

Commissioner Charlier Lanter presented on the Housing Stability Services Program, an initiative focused on preventing evictions and providing legal assistance to tenants facing the risk of eviction.

The presentation was informational in nature, with Commissioner Lanter outlining the program's goals of promoting housing stability through two primary approaches:

• Eviction diversion, aimed at intervening before eviction proceedings escalate
• Right to counsel services, providing legal assistance to tenants at risk of losing their housing

No additional speaker data, specific funding figures, program metrics, or debate details are available from the meeting record for this agenda item. The item concluded as an informational presentation with no vote or formal action taken by the Committee.