Potential relief available for tenants behind on rent and their landlords

Whether you are a tenant behind on their rent, or a landlord, who has a tenant behind on their rent, then you probably need to keep reading this story because you may be eligible for some assistance.

Kentucky has established an eviction relief fund in an effort to help both groups.

“In August, I announced $15 million in federal CARES Act dollars to create a Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund and today I am announcing Kentuckians can now apply for assistance via an online application at teamkyhherf.ky.gov,” Gov. Andy Beshear said on Sept. 8. “As we continue to wage this battle against COVID-19, we must make sure renters have a home so they can be Healthy at Home, while also safeguarding landlords against undue financial hardship.”

On Sept. 4, Beshear issued an executive order on evictions to reflect the Center for Disease Control’s moratorium on residential evictions through Dec. 31.

Under the CDC order, a tenant who signs and submits a declaration to his or her landlord about the inability to timely pay rent cannot be evicted. However, the declaration is required in order to prevent an eviction. Like the governor’s prior executive orders on evictions, the CDC order does not relieve anyone of the obligation to pay rent or comply with any other obligation under a tenancy, lease or similar contract.

The CDC order allows landlords to charge and collect fees, penalties and interest for failure to timely pay rent, but prohibits evictions for nonpayment or late payment of such fees, penalties or interest.

“The CDC said that it is a public health threat for people to be evicted at this time,” Beshear said. “So, the federal government put in place an eviction moratorium. Despite that, we are going to continue to move forward with our Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund and other steps that will provide relief to renters and financial help to landlords. We cannot end this COVID-19 crisis with a financial crisis.”

The state’s Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund will serve eligible households in 119 of Kentucky’s 120 counties as Jefferson County is managing its own federally funded eviction relief program.

It will also prevent the eviction of Kentucky tenants; and reimburse eligible landlords for missed rent payments and potentially pay some advance rent to keep tenants in their homes.
For those outside of Jefferson County, tenants at risk of eviction and landlords owed back rent are encouraged to visit teamkyhherf.ky.gov to see if you meet the qualifications of this program.

“There are so many opportunities right now for us to solve this issue,” Beshear said. “With all of these funds available, if everyone acts in good faith, nobody needs to worry about getting kicked out and nobody’s credit needs to get ruined. Everyone can get a little bit of help to get through this.”