LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear unveiled a new plan for evictions in efforts to help both tenants and landlords.
Beshear suspended evictions due to the coronavirus but issued a new executive order protecting tenants while providing relief to eligible landlords.
The governor’s administration is dedicating $15 million in federal CARES Act funds to create their Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund to reimburse landlords for lost rent.
“As this battle has taken many months, we now face three major concerns: one, wanting to make sure that people aren’t out on the street; two, wanting to make sure that these landlords aren’t bankrupted or aren’t being treated unfairly; and three, making sure that as people come out of this that they don’t have so much debt from their housing situation that they can’t ever dig out,” Beshear said. “We want a fair system that tries to address all three of these.”
The order requires landlords give tenants 30-days’ notice of their plans to evict.
During that time, the two must meet to try to work out an agreement.
There can be no penalties, late fees, or interest charged because of nonpayment of rent.
“Kentuckians cannot be Healthy at Home without a home,” Beshear said. “We want to help get people in a place where they’re not only still in their homes, but they’re not going to owe five or six months of rent when they come out of this.”
Other resources available to help pay rent include the Team Kentucky Fund, the Louisville/Jefferson County Eviction Prevention COVID-19 Relief Fund and the Kentucky Housing Corporation Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program, which is awaiting federal funding from Housing and Urban Development.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.