LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Lisa Wilson rents a home in Louisville, where she cares for her 3-year-old granddaughter. 

What You Need To Know

  • House Bill 696 would give a refundable tax credit of up to $1,000 for qualified renters

  • Rep. Pamela Stevenson (D, Louisville) is the bill's sponsor

  • Stevenson said the legislation is modeled after the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners

  • The bill has not yet been assigned a committee 

“Rent is going up,” she said. “It’s tripling. It’s doubling.” 

As a cosmetologist, she has lost work because of COVID-19, she said.

Wilson is supportive of a bill that would provide a refundable tax credit of up to $1,000 for qualified renters.

“It would have helped me out a lot because—we still had to pay rent whether the world shut down or whatever happened,” she said. “I understand that to have a roof over my head.” 

Rep. Pamela Stevenson (D, Louisville) is the sponsor of House Bill 696.

The legislation is modeled after the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners, Stevenson said.

“Kentucky families are suffering right now and we get the opportunity to do something about it,” she said. “Trickle-down economics doesn’t work. Now is the time for trickle up economics and what I mean by that is, give families food, clothing, and make sure they have healthcare and education and then Kentucky will thrive.”

House Bill 696 has not yet been assigned to a committee. 

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