Advocate

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Our Vision

A critical part of the Coalition’s mission is to end homelessness through advocacy.

We believe everyone deserves a safe place to call home, and we envision a city where everyone can afford that: a city where no one has to live or die on our streets. Will you join us in advocating for this vision?

Together, we can develop, support, and pass good policy that improves the lives of people who experience homelessness and housing instability.

What You Can Do Now: 2024

State Advocacy Work
The Coalition advocates for policies that create more affordable rental housing, that help Kentuckians that are housing insecure, and that support unsheltered Kentuckians. This includes legislation related to public benefits, landlord-tenant reforms, ID reforms, justice reforms, and anything that supports marginalized communities. These are our policy priorities for the 2024 General Assembly.

  • HB71: Eviction Expungement. Once an eviction is filed, it remains on a tenant’s record their whole life—including for any children in the home—and landlords can deny future housing due to an old eviction. A prior financial crisis should not prevent a family from having a safe, affordable home. The General Assembly should create a pathway for evictions to be expunged and to prevent minors from being listed by name in eviction filings.

  • Budget Ask: Invest in Housing and Shelter. Kentucky needs 90,000 units of affordable rental housing for our poorest citizens. Western and eastern Kentucky experienced massive natural disasters that destroyed thousands of homes; in Louisville, we saw a 41% increase in homelessness over four years. The General Assembly should dedicate $200 million for housing and shelter in the biannual budget.

  • HCR 68: Kentucky Housing Interim Task Force. Housing affordability impacts every county in Kentucky. Our state is facing rising rents, a lack of housing options for low and moderate incomes, and barriers to housing development. The General Assembly should create a Kentucky Housing Interim Task Force to hear testimony, study solutions, and adopt solutions for future legislation to meet Kentuckians’ housing needs.

  • HB100: Free Birth Certificates. In 2019, the General Assembly passed HB 378, which allowed youth experiencing homelessness to obtain a birth certificate at no charge. The General Assembly should expand this for homeless adults who need a Kentucky birth certificate to gain secure housing, employment, and other supports.

ACTIONS: Call the Legislative Message Line (1-800-372-7181) to speak in favor of the above bills and against HB 5 (the Safer Kentucky Act) and HB 18 and SB 25, which would overturn Louisville’s fair housing ordinance expansion to protect housing voucher tenants from discrimination.

Local Advocacy Work
Tell Metro Council to fund solutions to end homelessness by sending an email here. To learn more, read A New Path Home—our series of research-based, client-centered, data-driven recommendations for city government funding.

Sign up for our advocacy emails here to stay in the loop.

After you’ve done that, here are some great every day actions you can take.

    1. Set up a meeting to talk to your Metro Council person about the importance of funding affordable housing for the poorest Louisvillians. Louisville needs over 30,000 units of affordable housing for those that work full time at minimum wage—for making less than 30% of Area Median Income (AMI), or about $20,000 for a family of three. We must create more affordable housing options to support working families that are a crisis away from homelessness. Find your Metro Council person here.

    1. Donate to or volunteer with one of our partner organizations.

      There are so many organizations and volunteer groups in Louisville full of people working to help others. Our member agencies are always in need of resources to fund their work and support our neighbors without a home. There are many grassroots organizations who are working fervently to serve people in need, as well, many of whom can be found here.

      We encourage all Louisvillians to get close to the issue of homelessness and to support organizations and groups dedicated to meeting the basic needs of our neighbors. We also urge the community to support our member agencies by making a gift, donating crucial supplies, or volunteering their time.

    1. Address Metro Council during a monthly meeting to share your perspective and urge them to prioritize housing policy and the creation of affordable housing and supportive services for the poorest Louisvillians.

      Metro Council allows time during each meeting for citizens to address the Council and highlight pressing issues in the community. Email George to learn how to sign up: geklund@louhomeless.org.

    1. Sign up for our emails, including advocacy alerts, by filling out the form here.

Questions? Want to get more involved? Email George Eklund, Director of Education & Advocacy.