Kentucky

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs
 

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

Local news media report that the Catholic Action Center in Lexington, as well as many of the 100 homeless shelters across the state, are closed to new clients. Some smaller, private shelters in rural areas have shut down completely.

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that as eviction filings in Louisville rise to pre-pandemic levels, city officials say it is more important than ever to continue the Right to Counsel initiative launched in April 2021. While COVID-19-related eviction protections helped lower eviction filings in Jefferson County over the last two years, state data indicate that filings in 2022 are on par with those in 2019. Since Louisville launched the Right to Counsel program, legal aid attorneys have represented more than 700 families in court. The program was funded through $400,000 in federal American Rescue Plan dollars in its first year and is expected to receive the same amount in the next budget.

Updated on June 14, 2022

According to a new report from the Louisville Office of Resilience and Community Services, a surge in federal aid allowed the city to provide unprecedented levels of assistance in the last two years. More than 42,000 households have avoided eviction in Louisville over the last two years due to the Louisville Metro’s efforts in partnership with local nonprofits. The report finds that these impacts were most significant for communities of color.

Jefferson County tenants and landlords can now apply for rent relief through Team Kentucky’s Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund. As of April 29, Louisville had spent all its rental assistance funding, leaving many residents at risk of eviction. Lexington residents should continue to apply for aid through the Fayette County program.

Updated on May 16, 2022

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates 192,000 Kentuckians, or about 22% of the population, are behind on rent. Kentucky Legal Aid has seen a 30% increase in clients during the pandemic. Legal aid advocates report an increase in evictions and homelessness in McCracken County, which has the biggest eviction docket in the state.

Updated on December 13, 2021

WHAS11 reports a Louisville resident was evicted while in the hospital. While Louisville has about $15 million in federal rent relief available, many renters and landlords do not know about the assistance, and for those who do apply, it can take months for the state to process applications. More than 9,900 evictions have been filed this year in the Jefferson County court system. This number does not capture the extent of the eviction crisis, however, since it does not include illegal evictions.

Updated on November 15, 2021

Last month, Team Kentucky Health at Home Eviction Relief Fund (HHERF) disbursed $18.2 million in federal emergency rental assistance (ERA), an 87% increase over September’s numbers. Team Kentucky has used $119 million or 45% of its overall grant, leaving $128 million in ERA available to tenants and landlords. 

Updated on November 8, 2021

The Lexington Tenants Union held a rally outside the Fayette County Courthouse Plaza, prompted by the end of the eviction moratorium. The Lexington Herald-Leader reports former state representative Charles Booker joined the rally and encouraged the attendees to urge their city to stop evictions.  

Updated on September 21, 2021

A Lexington program to support people in applying for emergency rental assistance has helped approximately 500 households avoid eviction at the cost of $3.2 million. The Catholic Action Center and the Central KY Housing and Homeless Initiative set up a team of connectors at the Mother Teresa Center to help people navigate the application and avoid eviction.

June 22, 2021

The State Journal reports that despite the federal eviction moratorium, evictions have continued throughout the pandemic in Franklin County and across Kentucky and the nation. Frankfort shelters have made adjustments to accommodate social distancing guidelines and safety measures, and advocates have worked to spread information about the CDC moratorium and distribute rental assistance. “Our focus over the last year has been relentless on trying to save people’s lives by either allowing them to remain healthy at home or trying to get them housed,” said Adrienne Bush, executive director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, an NLIHC state partner.
June 4, 2021

The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting finds that uncooperative landlords have blocked hundreds of tenants in Kentucky from accessing emergency rental assistance (ERA). While federal regulations for Treasury’s ERA program allow renters to receive funding directly if landlords will not cooperate, local administrators for the state’s three ERA programs have decided not to adopt this policy.

A proposed ordinance in Louisville would provide an attorney to families with children going through the eviction process. The ordinance, proposed by Metro Councilwoman Cassie Chambers Armstrong, is supported by the Urban League, the Coalition for the Homeless, the Metropolitan Housing Coalition, and others.

March 31, 2021

Kentucky legislators introduced a bill (S.B. 264) that would prohibit the governor from issuing an eviction moratorium during a formal state of emergency, as Governor Andy Beshear did last year to protect renters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Another bill advancing through the legislature would prohibit Governor Beshear’s administration from temporarily suspending utility shutoffs and waiving late fees during emergencies.

March 01, 2021

Over 900 evictions have been filed in Louisville so far this year. Landlords are finding loopholes to evade the CDC eviction moratorium, and many tenants are unaware of local resources and struggling with virtual court hearings. Governor Andy Beshear announced the relaunch of the Health at Home Eviction Relief Fund, which will provide an additional $297 million in housing assistance.

February 22, 2021

The Kentucky Equal Justice Center filed a lawsuit in federal court on February 1 challenging the Jefferson County District Court’s failure to notify Kentuckians facing eviction of the location of their Zoom eviction hearings.

February 08, 2021

Louisville advocates are urging elected officials to take action to prevent a surge of evictions and a rise in homelessness. Governor Andy Beshear said Kentucky will extend its eviction moratorium.

February 01, 2021

Louisville officials and advocates are concerned about an increase in evictions, homelessness, and COVID-19 cases if eviction moratoriums are not enacted or extended by the mayor, governor, or White House. Local organizations are urging Mayor Greg Fischer to enact an eviction moratorium for Jefferson County that would remain in effect until next year.

December 9, 2020

Hundreds of thousands across the Ohio Valley are struggling to make ends meet as coronavirus relief benefits are set to expire at the end of December. Housing experts, including the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, have warned for months about a tsunami of evictions.

Jessica Klein, a policy associate at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, discusses the urgent need for robust federal coronavirus relief in the State Journal. Kentucky’s $15 million eviction prevention funds ran out quickly. The lack of rental assistance, combined with the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium, leaves Kentuckians at risk of becoming homeless.

November 30, 2020

The Kentucky Housing Corporation reports that Governor Andy Beshear designated $15 million in federal CARES Act funds for the Healthy at Home Utility Relief Fund, which provides utility assistance to low-income households. 

November 17, 2020

The Kentucky Equal Justice Center updated its eviction prevention app. The app allows renters to review, sign, and email a CDC Declaration to their landlords to get protection from eviction under the national moratorium.

WKYU explains what the Kentucky Equal Justice Center’s eviction prevention app does and why it’s an important tool.

October 5, 2020

“If we don’t get the money flowing, in terms of rental assistance, we could easily have massive evictions, massive displacement here in Kentucky and then eventually lose a bunch of those homes out of the rental market, out of the housing market,” says Adrienne Bush, executive director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky. 

Governor Andy Beshear signed Executive Order 2020-700 and Executive Order 2020-751, effective August 25, that dedicated federal Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) in the amount of $15 million for a Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund. Applications opened on September 8 and are taken on a first completed, first paid basis. 

September 15, 2020

The Lexington Herald Leader reports that hearings in Fayette County will resume on Monday, August 24. In Fayette County District Court, there are 157 eviction hearings scheduled next week and an additional 143 hearings the following week. This means more than 300 households could lose their homes by the first week of September.

August 25, 2020.

The Washington Post reports that workers, businesses, and advocates in Kentucky are furious with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for blocking much-needed federal coronavirus relief aid. Approximately 200,000 Kentucky households are at risk of eviction in the next four months, but Senator McConnell has ignored housing advocates’ pleas to provide critical housing protections and provisions. 

An eviction diversion pilot program in Jefferson County is expected to start on August 24. The program will focus on evictions for nonpayment and connect renters and landlords with rental assistance resources.

WFPL reports on Kentucky’s looming eviction crisis. According to the national research firm Stout, 42% of renter households in Kentucky are at risk of eviction in the coming months. Adrienne Bush, executive director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, an NLIHC state partner, spoke about the urgent need for rental assistance.

August 19, 2020.

Nearly one million renter households across the Ohio Valley are at risk of eviction: 42% of renter households in Kentucky, 46% in Ohio, and 47% in West Virginia. “What we need as a city government is extra funds not only to provide the services we’ve all come to expect, but to soften the impact of what we know is coming,” said Lexington Vice Mayor Steve Kay. “Hopefully, Senator McConnell and the rest of our delegation is listening to what we have to say.”

Adrienne Bush, executive director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, urged lawmakers to enact a nationwide, uniform eviction moratorium, appropriate $11.5 billion through the Emergency Solutions Grants program, and allocate $100 billion to emergency rental assistance.

August 11, 2020.

Advocates warn that Kentucky will face a surge of evictions if Governor Andy Beshear’s protections expire. The pre-pandemic affordable housing shortage is exacerbating the eviction crisis for low-income renters in Kentucky. “Before, they were one financial crisis or financial shock away from falling behind on their rent and being evicted from their homes,” said Sarah Saadian, NLIHC’s vice president of public policy. “For many people, this pandemic is going to be that precipitating event because they’re seeing the decline in their wages or they lose their job.”

Housing advocates in Kentucky are urging Governor Andy Beshear to extend the eviction moratorium, pointing to data that suggests more than 1,500 renters in Lexington – and more than 220,000 renters statewide – are at risk of eviction.

A court-ordered mediation on July 30 involving Governor Andy Beshear might determine when evictions resume in Kentucky. In March, Governor Beshear implemented an indefinite suspension of evictions for nonpayment of rent. On July 27, however, the Kentucky Supreme Court issued an order saying that courts will accept eviction filings once again on August 1. 

August 4, 2020.

Social service organizations are bracing for a homelessness crisis to hit rural Americans as eviction moratoriums and federal unemployment benefits end soon. As many as 240,000 Kentuckians could face eviction as federal coronavirus relief benefits are terminated.

July 28, 2020.

An op-ed in the Courier Journal discusses the critical need for targeted federal intervention, including emergency rental assistance, to address homelessness and stabilize the rental market. The authors urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to prioritize an appropriation of $100 billion in rental assistance.

July 7, 2020.

The Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, an NLIHC state partner, estimates that more than 340,000 people in the state are at risk of eviction. The coalition sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to urge him to support emergency rental assistance and extend the federal eviction moratorium.

Most of the people experiencing homelessness who were temporarily housed at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center have moved back to other shelters or are now unsheltered. 

Housing advocates, tenants, and experts are concerned about a surge of evictions after the Kentucky Supreme Court rescinded the state’s eviction moratorium, which was initially set to expire July 1, and announced that evictions for issues other than nonpayment could begin being filed on June 1.

June 22, 2020.

Louisville, Lexington, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky will receive more than $23 million in Emergency Solutions Grants - Coronavirus (ESG-CV). “We commend Congress’ allocation of COVID-19 resources from the CARES Act to support people experiencing homelessness with shelter, prevent families from losing their homes to eviction, front-end rental assistance,” said Adrienne Bush, executive director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, an NLIHC state partner. 

June 12, 2020

A survey of 100 Fayette County landlords and apartment owners found that nearly 70% have at least one or more tenants at risk for eviction due to nonpayment of rent. More than 60% of the respondents had at least one tenant who was unable to pay rent in April. A group of nonprofits, apartment, and landlord groups started a COVID-19 rental assistance program to prevent a wave of evictions. 

The Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky (HHCK), an NLIHC state partner, has been working to help people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless during the pandemic. With the help of a grant from NLIHC, HHCK has been able to start an Eviction Prevention Fund and is currently accepting donations.

A person experiencing homelessness in Louisville was arrested after police said he failed to self-quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 on April 19.

The Northern Kentucky Convention Center has opened its doors to serve as a social isolation homeless shelter.

Louisville

The Louisville Metro Government proposed allocating $21.2 million in federal CARES Act funding to provide rental assistance to an estimated 6,075 households for three months. Under the proposed plan, the rental assistance would be provided through a tenant-based application and a new process in which landlords of federally subsidized units could apply directly on behalf of their tenants.

June 22, 2020.

No information at this time.

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

 The Lexington Herald Leader reports that hearings in Fayette County will resume on Monday, August 24. In Fayette County District Court, there are 157 eviction hearings scheduled next week and an additional 143 hearings the following week. This means more than 300 households could lose their homes by the first week of September. WFPL reports on Kentucky’s looming eviction crisis. According to the national research firm Stout, 42% of renter households in Kentucky are at risk of eviction in the coming months. Adrienne Bush, executive director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, an NLIHC state partner, spoke about the urgent need for rental assistance. The Washington Post reports that workers, businesses, and advocates in Kentucky are furious with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for blocking much-needed federal coronavirus relief aid. Approximately 200,000 Kentucky households are at risk of eviction in the next four months, but Senator McConnell has ignored housing advocates’ pleas to provide critical housing protections and provisions.

August 28, 2020.

Nearly one million renter households across the Ohio Valley are at risk of eviction: 42% of renter households in Kentucky, 46% in Ohio, and 47% in West Virginia. “What we need as a city government is extra funds not only to provide the services we’ve all come to expect but to soften the impact of what we know is coming,” said Lexington Vice Mayor Steve Kay. “Hopefully, Senator McConnell and the rest of our delegation is listening to what we have to say.”

August 12, 2020

The Governor's executive order suspends all evictions for nonpayment through the end of the state of emergency, and instructs law enforcement not to enforce evictions. Evictions for issues other than nonpayment have been gradually allowed in recent months--landlords were able to file evictions for reasons other than nonpayment on June 1. The state Supreme Court had previously supported these orders, but on July 28 they announced they would begin hearing all eviction cases, including for nonpayment of rent, on Aug. 1. This, in addition to a lawsuit against the governor's executive order, has caused confusion and uncertainty in Kentucky. The Governor believes his order still prevents enforcement at this time. 

August 1, 2020

On July 28, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled to resume eviction procedures on August 1. Local advocates have observed rent delinquencies at up to three times the normal levels and anticipate there are thousands of evictions waiting to be processed. 

In the third week of July, 29.5% of adults in Kentucky reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 168,555 renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment. 

July 29, 2020 

340,000 people in Kentucky are at risk of evictions. According to a weekly survey by the Census, 1 in 5 adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment.

July 16, 2020