LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Community members in Louisville's historically Black neighborhoods are pushing for an ordinance to protect their communities.
The ordinance is called the "Historically Black Neighborhoods Law,” and it stems from a 2019 Louisville Housing Needs Assessment that found residents in those neighborhoods are at the highest risk of displacement and gentrification.
Rhonda Mathies, a Smoketown native, says people who live there, or used to live there, only have memories of what the neighborhood used to be.
“They have lost the cultural, the heritage,” she said. “That's a byproduct for what's going on now. We have so many developers, gentrification going on in these neighborhoods, and they push them out. Those who live there can no longer afford to live there, because of the price gouging.”
She said that has also taken out businesses. Mathies brother, Ronald Washington, has seen the changes as well.
“The grocery stores, they took all them out. The ball field, that's gone,” Washington said. “So, when they bring some new, they take something away.”
The ordinance would require developers seeking to use Metro Government-owned land, funding or other metro resources to undergo a displacement assessment to determine if residents are at risk.
Proposed rent prices must be compared to small area fair market rent.
For homes and apartments that won't be rented, the development must be deemed affordable housing.
If the development is for retail, the income demographic of its targeted customers must be compared to the area and poverty estimates.
Ordinance sponsor Jecorey Arthur (District 4) said the new draft will be out next week.
He said there will be several changes to give the Historically Black Neighborhood Commission more power, including mandating that 16 of the 19-person commission be community members.
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