LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — As Kentuckians continue to see rents go up, a tenants' rights group wants to see changes in Lexington. The group Kentucky Tenants is pushing for a bill of rights that would give tenants more power, but landlords say that could push rents higher.
"Housing is a human right, together we will win this fight," chanted members of Kentucky Tenants as they marched to Lexington's City Hall to make public comments Tuesday evening.
Supporters of the Tenants' Bill of Rights want to see a ban on discrimination based on source of income, credit score, eviction history, and immigration status. They want diversion programs in place to help prevent evictions. They want guaranteed seats for affected renters on housing boards and they want a landlord registry.
"I hope to see justice. I hope to see that the people that rent, that the landlord can come to an understanding and treat them as a human being, not just a buck," said supporter Joyce Bolton.
On the other hand, though, landlords who came to speak at the meeting said the Tenants' Bill of Rights could have unintended consequence of making housing less affordable. They argue that removing discrimination for things like credit scores or eviction history would make renting out homes more risky, and ultimately require them to charge more.
"I really understand where they're coming from, but I worry that invoking this Tenants' Bill of Rights will really make property go up. I know a lot of landlords cannot take an increase in taxes," said landlord Leslie Whaley.
With a new council coming in the near future, it's unclear exactly how a potential bill of rights will proceed, but it's clear the passions on both sides will be around for a while.
