Families with children are twice as likely to face eviction as other households, according to Kentucky Youth Advocates.
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Families with children are twice as likely to be evicted as other households, according to Kentucky Youth Advocates.
Now, a Louisville lawmaker is proposing legislation aimed at preventing minors from carrying those eviction records into adulthood.
Rep. Susan Witten introduced House Bill 338 to ensure young people are not affected by eviction filings. Kentucky records an average of 134 evictions each day, according to Kentucky Youth Advocates.
Witten, who has served two terms as co-chair of the Housing Task Force, said children are often listed on eviction filings despite having no responsibility in the situation.
“Just because if the mom or dad maybe errantly puts them on there because they’re just listing members of the household,” Witten said. “So through no fault of their own, but you know that they’re not expecting to have an eviction.”
She explained that the consequences can follow young people years later when they attempt to secure housing on their own.
“Even if the case is dismissed or doesn’t result even in an eviction, then that record is a permanent mark on their housing record and they can be viewed by any landlord or property owner when applying for housing in the future,” Witten said.
Witten said eviction records are one of several barriers she has identified that make it difficult for people to find housing, along with supply-side issues such as zoning regulations and housing improvements.
“There are some other issues that kind of I identified as barriers for people to be housed,” Witten said.
If approved, the bill would require court clerks to make sure minors are not listed on eviction records in the future.
The bill is expected to go before the Judiciary Committee in the coming weeks.
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