Mayor Linda Gorton has named Charlie Lanter the City’s first Commissioner of Housing Advocacy and Community Development.
The new Department combines six different city divisions with one common theme: housing.
“To have a strong community, we have to put a strong emphasis on housing,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “That’s what this Department is about.”
Gorton’s goals for the Department include creating opportunities for everyone to live in safe, well maintained, affordable housing; continuing the City’s work to prevent homelessness while getting people experiencing homelessness off the streets and into housing and shelters; preserving historic housing and other buildings; and building strong, equitable neighborhoods.
Lanter has a 17-year career working in housing-related issues for the City and Community Action Council. He is the City’s former Director of the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention and was a senior manager at Community Action, which provides a number of human services.
“Housing connects to everything. Safe, quality, affordable housing isn’t just a roof over a family’s head, but a path to better health, education, and economic outcomes,” Lanter said. “I’m honored to have this opportunity that unites our government services to focus on this critical community need.”
The City Divisions in the new Department are Affordable Housing; Code Enforcement; Community and Resident Services; Grants and Special Programs; Historic Preservation; and Homelessness Prevention and Intervention.
In 2017 Lanter won the Sullivan Award, the highest honor presented by the University of Kentucky for humanitarian service.
Lanter holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and government from Western Kentucky University.
Lanter and his wife, Cathy, have two children.
