LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton on Tuesday announced the city’s housing stabilization program is expanding to further assist tenants facing an eviction.

What You Need To Know

  • Lexington's Housing Stabilization Program is expanding to offer mediation with landlord and access to legal counsel for tenants facing eviction

  • The Legal Aid of the Bluegrass and Kentucky Equal Justice Center will together receive $1.9 million for the program to hire lawyers

  • Those who support the expansion believe that the additional support is an important tool to assist tenants

  • Ginny Ramsey with the Catholic Action Center expressed not agreeing with the money going toward mediation and legal counsel

“With the remainder of our onetime federal dollars for this program, we will continue to provide assistance while expanding services to include mediation with landlord and access to legal counsel for tenants facing eviction,” Gorton said at a news conference.

The city is working with the Legal Aid of the Bluegrass and Kentucky Equal Justice Center.

“Both are essential partners,” said Gorton. “Together they are receiving $1.9 million in onetime federal funding to continue this program while funds are available.”

Charlie Lanter, the commissioner for Housing Advocacy and Community Development, believes the additional support is necessary to assist tenants facing an eviction.

“This is really important because 99% of tenants go to eviction court and they don’t have an attorney. They’re not represented. Whereas, you know, 99% of landlords do have an attorney, so there’s a significant power imbalance there in terms of representation,” said Lanter.

The Catholic Action Center’s director, Ginny Ramsey, thinks the money should not go toward mediation and legal counsel. Her organization assists people experiencing homelessness and those who are about to lose their homes.

“We can talk all day, but at the end of the day, the landlords want their money,” said Ramsey.

She wanted to see that money used for rental assistance and transitional housing hotels, but the Lexington Housing Stabilization Program still has money that will help people with rent.

“We still have $8 million worth of rent assistance money available and so it doesn’t really, it wouldn’t change anything if I put this 1.9 million toward rent because we already have rent,” said Lanter. “This money was intended for this purpose when we received it as a grant.”

However, Ramsey has concerns about what the next steps are when the money is used up.

“It’s eight million which they’re anticipating will be gone by the end of the summer,” said Ramsey. “When it’s gone, what are we doing?”

Lexington’s Housing Stabilization Program began in Feb. 2021 and has provided $46.5 million of help to the community.

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