Yesterday, the Kentucky Supreme Court issued a new Order allowing all evictions (except CARES Act-protected properties) to proceed beginning on August 1st.
(We were surprised, too.)
Does this mean your landlord can file an eviction based on nonpayment of rent on Saturday?
Right now, the answer is no. But, that answer may change later this week. Here's why:
Governor Beshear's Executive Order protecting Kentuckians who rent their homes from eviction for nonpayment of rent during a global pandemic and economic crisis is still in effect.
But.
Three landlords have sued Governor Beshear to challenge the legality of his eviction moratorium. (Beshear's eviction moratorium is completely legal. Courts have upheld similar moratoria in response to the coronavirus pandemic in New York and Arizona.) Nevertheless, Governor Beshear asked the Court to order the parties to mediate the dispute. That mediation occurs on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in the federal courthouse in Covington, KY. (Stay tuned for additional details about a press event that day.)
We are deeply concerned that the Kentucky Supreme Court’s action foreshadows a settlement on Thursday that includes Governor Beshear agreeing to lift the moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent during a global pandemic.
So, for now, Governor Beshear's Executive Order is still in effect and no Kentuckian will face eviction for nonpayment of rent on August 1st even though the Kentucky Supreme Court has changed its rules to allow those actions to be filed again.
However, if Governor Beshear changes his Executive Order, nothing will stop landlords from flooding the courthouses with evictions, jeopardizing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Kentucky's most vulnerable households. A recent study estimates that 221,000 Kentucky households (44% of all households that rent their homes) are unable to pay rent and are at risk of eviction if protections like Beshear's eviction moratorium disappear. Indeed, without a moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent, about 149,000 Kentucky households will have an eviction filed against them in the next four months.
What can you do?
Call or email Governor Beshear's office. Tell him that he needs to defend his eviction moratorium and protect the hundreds of thousands of households in Kentucky that are facing eviction if he backs down to these three landlords in northern Kentucky.
Here is the link to send the Governor an email. The phone number to call is: (502) 564-2611.
Whether you are a renter or not, tell the Governor we expect him to ensure that every Kentuckian can remain #HealthyAtHome whether "home" is rented or owned.