Groups work to help people find affordable housing in Lexington
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The KY Tenants group held a town hall at the Lyric Theater Friday night to share their concerns as affordable housing issues grow in Lexington.
Stephanie Hensley is 30 weeks pregnant and already has a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old. Now she has nowhere to live.
“My fiancé had called apartments. He works at McDonald’s. They said we had to have three times the rent and McDonald’s wouldn’t cover it. It was struggle after struggle, stress after stress, to the point where I started having contractions,” Hensley said.
Hensley’s old apartment had mold problems.
“Both the health department and my doctor said it was not safe for me, my children or my unborn child to be home,” Hensley said.
Hensley said she even had a heart attack from the added stress. Now she joins about 100 other Lexington tenants who can’t seem to cope with rising rents.
“Those closest to the problems are closest to the solutions. And who is closer to the problems than our tenants in Lexington? said Adrian Williams of the band KY Tenants.
Williams said the majority of people they spoke to said housing was now unaffordable for them.
“We see families here, we see seniors here, we see people from all walks of life,” Williams said.
Williams said their hope for mayor is to see what the Tenants want them to do and what kind of political campaign they would like them to run before the midterm election cycle.
While informative for KY tenants, it was the emotional support Hensley needed.
“Just to know I’m not alone. That I have people next to me and I have people standing with me,” Hensley said.
Hensley said Community Action and the Fayette County Public School System have helped her family.
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