The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government's (LFUCG) General Government and Planning Committee recently received a presentation on the potential creation of a Development Liaison position designed to help streamline the city’s development process and accelerate housing projects.
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The proposal stems from recommendations included in the city’s 2023 Development Process Study, which found that some development projects in Lexington can take roughly twice as long to move through the local approval process compared to peer cities. The report identified improved coordination, clearer communication, and more consistent project navigation within local government as key opportunities to reduce delays.

By Keller Riede, Commerce Lexington Policy Intern 
​On Wednesday, March 4, nearly 60 business and community leaders from across the nine-county region gathered in Frankfort for Commerce Lexington’s Greater LEX Day at the Capitol in partnership with AT&T. This event provides a vital opportunity for policy experts, elected officials, and regional leaders to further connect during this legislative session and collaborate on key policy issues impacting the Lexington region.  

Several prominent members of the General Assembly addressed attendees including Majority Floor Leader Steven Rudy, Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe, and Representative Josh Bray – sharing insights on the status of legislation and updates on the biennium budget planning that are currently underway. Their input provided valuable insight on policy developments that are affecting Lexington and the broader nine-county Greater LEX region. Priority issues for the region include policy and investments impacting housing affordability, childcare, talent attraction marketing, and job site readiness (KY Product Development Initiative).

​Commerce Lexington is proud to announce a new annual event called Adapt. Compete. Grow. - A Forum for Business on Monday, March 30, from 4:00 - 6:30 p.m. at The Campbell House (1375 S. Broadway). Our featured speaker will be Daron K. Roberts, a nationally recognized speaker, who will present “Stay in The Deep End: A Playbook for Waging War Against Your Status Quo in 2026.”  When uncertainty hits, most businesses instinctively pull back—but that’s exactly when opportunity appears. During Stay In The Deep End, you’ll learn how to adapt without panic, compete without copying, and grow without waiting for perfect conditions. This talk challenges safe thinking and equips leaders with a mindset built for volatility, not comfort.

Commerce Lexington has joined more than 60 organizations and businesses across Kentucky in supporting consensus legislation aimed at improving childcare accessibility and affordability. House Bill 6 and House Joint Resolution 50, introduced by House Committee on Families & Children Chair Samara Heavrin (R-Leitchfield), strengthen Kentucky’s childcare system to better support working families, local communities, and employers across the Commonwealth. Both measures have passed the House Committee on Families and Children and now await a vote on the House floor before advancing to the Senate.

UPDATE 2/17/2026:
House Bill 6 passed the House on Tuesday and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

State legislators will convene this week in Frankfort for the 60-day Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly, with the primary task of enacting the Commonwealth's biennial budget for fiscal years 2026-2028. Beyond the budget, Republican supermajorities are expected to advance several key priorities, including measures to address Kentucky's housing shortage, ongoing efforts to further reduce the state individual income tax rate, enhanced Medicaid oversight amid potential federal funding changes, and targeted one-time investments in communities statewide. In addition to allocating funds for various state cabinets and services, education funding - which historically accounts for more than half of the biennial budget - will remain a central focus, ensuring thorough legislative review during the Session.

During the long Budget Session, some of the issues Commerce Lexington and regional leaders will be advocating for a variety of policy items to support the Regional Competitiveness Strategy, including: ​

The 2025 Greater LEX Regional Summit presented by Community Trust Bank brought together 320-plus influential business, community and government leaders from across the Greater LEX region.  This year’s Summit was the largest gathering to date, signaling the continued momentum and commitment to regional collaboration.  The annual event provided a valuable opportunity for economic benchmarking and a progress report on the implementation of the Regional Competitiveness Plan action items.  Attendees were also able to connect, share ideas, and explore strategies to make the nine-county region more competitive for jobs and talent.  

​On October 21st, the Kentucky General Assembly’s state Housing Task Force held its last fact-finding meeting. This is the second year this task force has been organized, demonstrating the legislature’s priority interest in learning about the Commonwealth’s housing issues, roadblocks, and possible solutions.  The Legislative Interim, which occurs between state Legislative Sessions, emphasizes policy development, stakeholder input, and preparation. Interim activities are led by approximately 16 standing Interim Joint Committees, formed by merging House and Senate standing committees. These committees provide continuity on core policy areas, meeting monthly to review legislation implementation and draft bills. This past May, legislative leaders announced five joint task forces to tackle emerging issues, each co-chaired by one House and one Senate member, with bipartisan participation. These groups aim to deliver reports and bill drafts by early 2026, including Kentucky’s Housing Task Force.

​Commerce Lexington and the Building Industry Association (BIA) of Central Kentucky recently hosted a Housing Development Workshop for Lexington City Councilmembers and legislative aides. The workshop provided an opportunity to educate council members about the current housing landscape, community needs, challenges, and opportunities to provide more accessible and affordable housing in Lexington.
 
During the workshop, Councilmembers learned about the history of land use and housing development, recent home building and permitting trends, and factors impacting supply and affordability.  Councilmembers participated in site visits to active housing developments both for affordable housing and market-rate developments. The immersion tour helped local leaders better understand the realities of “a day in the life of a developer.”  From lengthy development plan certifications to costly regulatory requirements and other delays, local government process challenges add additional costs that impact housing affordability.

Commerce Lexington was recognized with two awards related to its ongoing Regional Competitiveness Plan, while the City was named an award winner for its Second Chance Academy Workforce Reentry Program.

​Commerce Lexington is pleased to announce that Betsy Dexter, Senior Vice President, Talent & Education Strategy, has been selected to participate in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Business Leads Fellowship Program. This year’s cohort includes 35 fellows from 19 states who will take part in the six-month program consisting of both virtual and in-person workshops.
 
“We created the Business Leads Fellowship Program in response to the needs of our state and local chamber partners,” said Kyle Butler, Senior Manager, Programs, K-12 Education at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “They, better than anyone, see the critical link between education and economic development, and we are glad to be able to support them as they take on this critical leadership role in their community.”