‘Cancel rent’ Protesters want a Lexington eviction ban as federal moratorium expires
Dozens of protesters drove by the home of Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton on Wednesday evening demanding the first-term mayor issue a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic.
Many of the nearly 30 cars who participated in the drive-by protest carried signs that said: “Cancel rent” and “Mayor Gorton stop evictions.” People also stood in Gorton’s driveway with a sign that said: “Stop Evictions. Save Lives.”
Katie Kilcoyne, one of the organizers of the Kentucky Housing Justice Collective that also helped coordinate the protest, said a federal ban on evictions for nonpayment of rent ends later this month. Thousands of people could be without a home in the middle of a pandemic during the coldest months of the year. The group wants Gorton to issue a local moratorium.
“This is one of our last actions we are going to take before that time comes,” Kilcoyne said of the looming Jan. 31 deadline.
Gorton and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer have both repeatedly said they can’t issue local eviction bans .
“Based on considerable research, the city has concluded that the mayor and the council do not have the legal authority to issue a moratorium on evictions,” said Susan Straub, a spokeswoman for the city.
But Kilcoyne and other housing advocates believe Gorton has the authority.
Gorton is scheduled to meet with the Lexington Housing Justice Collective on Jan. 21, Straub said.
As part of the latest round of federal coronavirus relief passed in late December, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control extended its eviction moratorium until Jan. 31.
The Centers for Disease Control moratorium has stipulations. Tenants must fill out a form and turn it in. Many don’t know to do so.
Evictions were largely placed on hold throughout much of the pandemic but resumed in the courts in August. Since then, more than 1,400 evictions have been filed in Fayette County, members of the housing collective have said.
The collective includes more than 30 community organizations advocating for renters during the pandemic.
Shaye Awwad is currently unemployed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Awwad applied for but has not yet received unemployment insurance. She got behind on her rent.
“I dipped way into savings and now that’s all but depleted,” Awwad said Wednesday night before the protest.
Fortunately, after a lot of back and forth, she was able to get rental assistance through one of the city’s rental assistance programs. That money came through after her landlord had given her a 7-day notice that her rent was past due.
“It was really down to the wire and it caused a massive amount of stress and anxiety,,” Awwad said.
Awwad, who has no family in Kentucky, said she could still face eviction because she hasn’t been able to pay rent for January.
“I’m really here to go to bat for the thousands of people, not just in this state, but millions of people across the United States that are suffering,” Awwad said.
In addition to Wednesday’s protest at Gorton’s home, the Lexington Housing Justice Collective also disrupted an online December Fayette District Court eviction court in support of a ban on evictions during the pandemic.
Evictions for lease violations and evictions not related to nonpayment are also still moving through the courts.
Meanwhile, landlords have complained they can’t get rid of some tenants who aren’t paying rent. Some renters are refusing to apply for assistance because they believe they don’t have to pay rent during the pandemic, landlords have said.
Some landlords are also refusing to apply for the money, opting to evict tenants instead, housing advocates have said.
Both landlords and tenants must sign off on rental assistance. The money goes to the landlords.
Between local and state rental assistance programs the city has given out $3.5 million, most of which is from federal coronavirus relief money, to 1,214 households to help with rent and utility payments, city officials said Wednesday.
In December, Gorton announced the city would take over all intake for the various eviction programs, a move designed to expedite payments to people who qualify and to get more money out the door. The city runs some eviction prevention programs while social service agencies run other rental and utility assistance programs.
People who need help should email housingstabalization@lexingtonky.gov or call 859-258-3804.
This story was originally published January 14, 2021 at 9:28 AM.
