As Fayette County rebounds from the impacts of COVID-19, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government has established a Housing Stabilization Program to minimize trauma and crisis caused by lack of secure housing.
The program aims to reduce evictions, allows landlords to get substantial payments for back rent rather than evict, and reduces the impact of evictions on the homeless service delivery system.
Community Action Council processes applications for assistance and issues rental assistance payments for the program.
Beginning February 1, 2023, the program will focus primarily on tenants with an active forcible detainer (eviction) case in Fayette District Court. Tenants who have not had a forcible detainer case filed against them will no longer be able to apply for assistance from the program.
If you are a tenant who has received notice of your landlord filing a forcible detainer (eviction) case against you, a caseworker will be assigned to review your case and determine whether you may be eligible for financial assistance. If you currently have an active forcible detainer case against you but have not discussed your case with a Housing Stabilization Program caseworker, call 859-280-8424 or email housingstabilization@lexingtonky.gov.
Effective February 1, 2023, to be eligible for assistance from the program, tenants must:
- Live in a rented residence in Fayette County,
- Live in a household with income at or less than 80% of the Area Median Income,
- Have experienced some negative financial impact during the COVID-19 pandemic, and
- Be at risk of homelessness or housing instability because of an active eviction case in Fayette District Court.
Eligible tenants may receive financial assistance to help with:
- Up to 12 months of past due rent,
- Up to 3 months of future rent, and/or
- Payment of a security deposit and up to 3 months future rent, if a tenant must relocate to a new unit.
The Housing Stabilization Program no longer offers utility assistance as of February 1, 2023. All tenant applications submitted prior to February 1, 2023 or with pending requests for assistance as of February 1, 2023, will be processed under the program guidelines that were in effect prior to February 1 2023.
All tenant applications submitted prior to February 1, 2023 or with pending requests for assistance as of February 1, 2023, will be processed under the program guidelines that were in effect prior to February 1.
For additional information, including other resources that may be available for tenants in need of assistance, please visit lexingtonky.gov/renthelp.
