BUILD Wins!

Since 2003, BUILD has made a real difference on a number of community problems including: 

Affordable Housing: In 2014, BUILD gained a commitment from Mayor Gray to develop a plan for and champion the passage of an Affordable Housing Fund with $2 million/year from the city general fund. This plan was approved by the city council and created housing for over 1,200 families by 2020. In 2021, we pushed for and won over $10 million from ARPA for the Affordable Housing Fund. So far, over 3,080 families have been housed as a direct result of our work.

Drugs: BUILD won an expansion of the local harm reduction syringe exchange program. When we first started, the needle exchange program was open for a couple of hours, one day a week, at one location. We pushed for and won an expansion to more hours, days, and locations so we can keep our neighbors alive. Hundreds of thousands of dirty needles have been taken off the streets. In March 2023 alone, 58,246 used needles were collected at the needle exchange. And to date, 515 people have been referred to treatment through the program.

Healthcare for the Uninsured: Due to the work of BUILD the Fayette County Health Department and other providers have supplied primary care to over 14,000 of Lexington's over 40,000 uninsured adults. In 2011 alone, nearly $8 million of healthcare was provided to the uninsured in Lexington as a direct result of BUILD's efforts.

Code Enforcement: Due to BUILD's taking action in 2007, the Code Enforcement Division agreed to step up its inspections of trailer parks in Fayette County, some of which had rotting floor, leaking roofs, and open sewage.

Drug Treatment: BUILD discovered in 2006 that there was no drug treatment program for women in the Fayette County Jail, while the program for men was reducing the recidivism rate from 60% to 19%. BUILD got then-Mayor Teresa Isaac to put $175,000 in the budget each year for a women's drug treatment program at the jail.

Fayette County Public Schools: BUILD won a pilot of whole-school restorative practices in five schools in Fayette County. BUILD pushed the school district to contract with the International Institute for Restorative Practices to train teachers and staff in their model to address high suspensions and racial disparities in discipline.

Public Transportation: BUILD got LexTran to start an "Employment Bus" which will take citizens to work during the hours the regular bus is not in service – this service began in August 2006.

Ex-Offender Re-entry: BUILD got the circuit court clerk and head of the detention center to develop a plan to ensure inmates have state-issued photo IDs upon their release.

BUILD has followed up over the years to make sure that all of these commitments are met.