Lexington names leader of homelessness office

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Lexington Mayor Jim Gray has named a director for the city’s newly created Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention.

Charlie Lanter, who works for the city’s Community Action Council, will be the first director of the new office.

A release from Gray’s office says one of Lanter’s top priorities will be to develop a program to target chronically homeless individuals with mental or physical disabilities.

The new office was created after a recommendation by the mayor’s Commission on Homelessness in 2013. The city council has set aside $500,000 of surplus dollars for a homelessness fund along with $3 million for affordable housing.

Lanter will begin the new job in May.