Neighbors:
I’m making you aware of 4 bills currently moving through the legislature this session. I found that a significant number of our representatives are landlords – 1 in 5 identify as landlords per financial disclosure, and 1 in 2 own more than 1 property. There is evidence that many of them have financial interests in real estate.
If you are concerned about these bills, you can call the Legislative Research Commision to relay your message to your representative.
LRC provides several toll-free Numbers.
Legislative Message Line 1-800-372-7181
Bill Status Line 1-866-840-2835
Kentucky Relay Service 711
Calendar (Meetings) Line 1-800-633-9650
En Español 1-866-840-6574
As you may be aware, state law takes precedence over local law, and federal law takes precedence over state law.
I borrowed the text below from an email from the Kentucky League of Cities, who also monitor bills that affect their constituents. Links to bills are included.
HB 530: This is a national think-tank bill that is pushing local permitting reform through statewide mandates. It includes shot clocks on P&Z decisions and includes the use of third-party inspectors over the authority of local governments.
HB 617: This bill would require minimum lot sizes on all new development, minimum parking requirements, and restricts P&Z units from prohibiting mixed-use residential units in commercial zones.
HB 618: This bill preempts local governments from treating multifamily housing (2, 3 and 4 units) with different code enforcement and permitting standards than single family housing. It also includes the use of third-party inspectors.
SB 112:This is this session’s Airbnb bill that completely preempts local governments from regulating short-term rentals through ordinance or regulation. This bill also makes null any ordinance that a city might have already adopted to regulate STRs. Here is some information that KLC has shared with our members regarding this bill –
· SB 112 would void existing local ordinances, including regulations that establish short-term rental registries or impose transient room taxes. These provisions would eliminate tools many cities use to monitor activity, ensure compliance, and fund tourism in their communities.
· SB 112 prohibits local governments from requiring conditional use permits, restricting short-term rentals in residential zones, or adopting density-based limits on the concentration of short-term rental properties in an area.
· SB 112 replaces locally tailored regulatory frameworks with a statewide permit process that provides limited ability for communities to address the unique impacts of short-term rentals on housing availability, neighborhood stability, and quality of life for permanent residents.
Addison Hosea, President
East Lake Neighborhood Association, Lexington, KY
elnalexorg@gmail.com