Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton has the power and authority to stop the mass evictions that have plagued our city for the last 160 days. With over 1,400 people facing eviction filings since August 24, 2020, hundreds of Lexingtonians have been thrown out of their homes and onto the streets. Mayor Gorton has had the power to stop these atrocities the entire time.
Lexington Housing Justice Collective Meets with Mayor Linda Gorton
Tenants, organizers, and a lawyer with Lexington Housing Justice Collective are meeting with Mayor Linda Gorton and staff to urge her to stop all evictions in Fayette County.
Mayor Linda Gorton Can Stop Local Evictions
Mayor Gorton has the legal authority to implement an eviction moratorium, and it is the right public health and economic move. Every day she waits is a day more people lose their homes. She needs to act now—and we will continue to fight until she does.
Mayor Linda Gorton Wants to Cut Emergency Rental Assistance to fund Police Trainings
Available rental assistance in Lexington totals just over $1.9 million. The average household recipient receives over $1,700 from the city funds. This means that available city funds are likely to serve under 1,200 people. However, as of November 4, the city had already received 3,400 intakes into its rental assistance program—and over 90% of people who apply are eligible. That means that 2,000 Lexingtonians who are eligible to receive rental assistance and applied will receive no money because the city does not have enough funds—compared to only 1,200 who will receive funds. How does Mayor Gorton respond to this underfunding of eviction prevention? BY CUTTING THE PROGRAM MORE. That ain’t right.
Open Letter to the Lexington Housing and Gentrification Subcommittee of the Mayor’s Commission on Racial Justice and Equality
Dear members of the Housing and Gentrification Subcommittee, We understand that you are now developing your recommendations to the Mayor. As you do so, eviction court is on the verge of executing mass evictions. Next Monday, August 24, 51 people are scheduled to face eviction in court. The following two weeks, around 300 people face eviction.
