LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As the cost of living goes up, more people are left unhoused.
For those living in shelters, they're facing an even bigger challenge: applying for jobs.
"Sometimes more often than not you know it's so hard to get a job because they want you to have an address, they want you to have a home," said Savvy Hughes.
Hughes knows this all to well through her own experience.
At one time she lived in her car and found herself over-explaining when it came to writing down an address on job applications since she was houseless.
A new ordinance passed by Metro Council will now require the city to accept applications from people living in homeless shelters.
"Especially with our current economic climate and so to get rid of that kind of blockage will really create I think a lot of alleviation for families," Hughes said.
Last year, The Coalition for the Homeless reported more than 5,000 people living in shelters.
This ordinance, created by Councilman Jecorey Arthur, will help break the cycle by letting people use shelter addresses on job applications.
"Overall I don't see how it's a downfall to anybody it seems like a benefit all the way through," said Hughes.
Arthur said it's been a labor of love to work on the measure over the last two years.
"We found there is a really vicious cycle going on where people can't get housing because they can't get employment and people can't get employed because they don't have housing," he said.
He said a number of shelters have already signed a letter of support through The Coalition for the Homeless.
"We also had a couple of others, St. Johns, St. Vincent de Paul, that were allowing people to use their addresses, we're hoping that since we've passed this legislation every shelter in the region will now allow people to use their addresses," Arthur said.
Hughes believed this ordinance is a benefit for everyone.
"Should it be signed by the mayor's office? It's a win-win for all I think there's lots of positions that the city is looking to fill, that vendors are looking to fill," she said.
This ordinance will take affect immediately once it's signed by the mayor.
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