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  • Comment Detail

  • Date: 07/30/23
    First Name: Adrian
    Last Name: Williams
    Email: adwilliams1210@gmail.com
    Organization Type: other
    Organization: KY Tenants

  • Comment

    I’m Adrian and I’ve been a renter in Lexington, KY for three years. Before that I rented in Tallahassee, FL. In both cities I’ve faced issues with accessing housing that is both affordable for me and safe to live in. While I was able to consistently pay my rent in Florida, the property manager neglected several things in our apartment, including black mold, pests, rats, and rotting tree branches. At one point before hurricane season we asked that he remove a branch hanging over our designated parking spot because we feared it a storm would blow through, and the branch would fall and hit our car. He delayed sending someone to cut the branch away, and eventually a branch DID fall on my car. He refused to pay for damages. In Lexington there is a clear dichotomy between rental places that are affordable and unsafe and unaffordable and safe. It’s also really difficult for people to meet the criteria that many landlords stipulate in their rental applications (600+ credit score, income being 3x the rent, no eviction history in the past 5-7 years, etc.) Once you’ve been evicted from one place it’s really hard to find a new place that will take you, leading to long-term, cyclical displacement and housing insecurity. I’m asking that the FHFA regulate rental places with federally-backed mortgages, by placing caps on how much rent can increase per lease duration, and by improving federal tenant protections.