Since evictions for non-payment resumed August 24, there have been over 1,000 eviction hearings in Lexington. While some tenants had their cases delayed until January by the CDC’s moratorium, the majority of tenants were not at court–which means they likely received default eviction judgments against them.
The scary thing is, this level of mass evictions is *normal* in Lexington. We have had a little under 100 evictions cases per week since August 24. Between 2005 and 2016, there were 107 eviction filings per week. In 2016, that number rose to 117.*
Mass evictions are a feature, not a bug, of our housing system. That is why we need to fully transform the housing system. We need Governor Andy Beshear to #CancelRent now, and we need a #HomesGuarantee based on social housing in the long run. Otherwise, hundreds of Lexingtonians will continue to lose their homes–every. single. month.
To join the fight back against evictions, join our General Tenant’s Call tonight at 6pm https://www.facebook.com/events/700187624211343 and sign up for the Kentucky Anti-Eviction Network https://actionnetwork.org/forms/the-anti-eviction-network/
*Calculated based on data in Locked out: Foreclosure, eviction and housing instability in Lexington, 2005-2016 by Taylor Shelton for the Lexington Fair Housing Council.
Lexington Housing Justice Collective 