Kentucky needs affordable housing. Lots of it. Thousands of housing units, in fact.
Here’s why.
- When you have all of this wonderful economic development, it makes sense you need to have safe, affordable housing within a reasonable distance of these new jobs.
- Then there are the many workers who are paid minimum wage in this state that need housing so they can staff your hotels, take care of your relatives in nursing homes, serve up your fast food, and put roofs on your houses after wind and ice storms.
- People who have a medical emergency, and end up with bills they can’t pay (in addition to the ever rising utility and rent bills) are trying to rob Peter to pay Paul so they can keep a roof over their heads.
- Rent prices in the Louisville area have risen between 15%-20% in the last 5 years, depending on which data is being used. Some of that rental housing isn’t fit to live in. Some people struggle to maintain or stay in their homes.
So, what are Kentucky legislators doing to help our people? Here are two examples.
HB 173 by Ryan Dotson
One of the ugliest bills filed to date is HB 173 by Ryan Dotson (R) that wants to protect landlords from having to assess their rental properties for safety issues – like lead, one of the most dangerous substances any house can contain.
The bill says:
.A city, county, charter county government, urban-county government, consolidated local government, unified local government, or special district shall not adopt or enforce an ordinance, regulation, or policy that creates or maintains a registry of landlords or residential rental properties for any purpose, including:
(1) Assessments of the safety of a rental unit, including of lead hazard within a rental unit or
(2) Requiring a landlord to conduct an evaluation or prepare a report regarding lead hazard of a rental property unit.
Wow!! What a caring and thoughtful piece of legislation! Louisville was wise enough to pass an ordinance that requires landlords to register their rental properties through its Lead-Safe Housing Registry as part of the Lead Hazard Reduction Program. HB 173 wants to dismantle this ordinance.
What is the motivation for this bill? Money and power.
Frankfort Republicans want to control Louisville (power). I wonder how many legislators or their donors are landlords (money) and don’t want to have to make their properties safe, not even for children!
Between 2005 and 2021 over 10,000 kids in Louisville tested positive for elevated levels of lead in their blood. In northwest Louisville, most of the homes were built before 1978 when lead paint and other sources of lead were used. The kids in that area have a 10 times higher risk of developing lead poisoning than in other areas of the city. We need to Get The Lead Out! Louisville is trying, but Frankfort wants to block their efforts.
HB 58 by Lisa Willner
On the flip side, there are legislators like Rep Lisa Willner, who filed HB 58.
When a person experiences a medical or mental health emergency and ends up having to move to a different setting, what happens with their rental lease? When your mom falls and breaks her hip and has to leave her home suddenly and can’t go back, maybe has to move into assisted living, what happens with her lease? Apparently not all landlords will let someone out of their lease when these types of things occur.
Rep Willner’s bill would help people be able to get out of their lease without penalty when their life is turned upside down. Common sense and compassion.
There are at least 17 bills (so far) filed in the 25GA having to do with housing. Let’s work together to get good housing bills passed that will help our Kentucky neighbors to be able to fill one of these most basic human needs: safe, affordable housing.
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