Rent Assistance in Kentucky

Last checked: November 2026. Benefits Explorer is a directory. We do not provide rent money or decide who gets help, and each program makes its own decisions.

Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) keeps a county-by-county Community Resource Guide for people behind on rent or facing eviction, and it is the most practical first stop. KHC's own voucher waiting list closed on July 26, 2024, so a voucher will not solve an urgent problem.

Lexington and Louisville are handled differently from the rest of the state. Lexington's city office can help with past-due rent if funds are available, for residents with at least a year in Fayette County. In Jefferson County, Stop My Eviction connects tenants with a scheduled court case to free lawyers. Elsewhere, 23 Community Action agencies cover every county.

Where to Start in Kentucky

Kentucky Housing Corporation Get Help page

KHC's Community Resource Guide lists rental assistance and local services by county for people behind on rent, facing eviction or at risk of homelessness. If you are already homeless, sleeping outside, in a car or in a shelter, KHC lists a Coordinated Entry hotline at 877-577-2180. The main KHC line is toll-free within Kentucky.

Visit website · Phone: 800-633-8896 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Community Action Kentucky

The statewide association of 23 Community Action agencies, with a presence in every county. Use Find My Office on its network page to get your local agency's contact details, and ask that office what rent help it has. Its site lists housing among its service areas without giving rent amounts.

Visit website · Phone: 502-875-5863 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

KHC HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance

KHC grants HOME funds to nonprofits, housing organizations and local governments, which can use them for rent gaps, rent and utilities, and security deposits. The page does not describe a way for tenants to apply directly and does not list grantees, so ask KHC or your Community Action agency whether a funded group serves your county.

Visit website · Phone: 502-564-7630 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Local Rent Help in Kentucky

Lexington Emergency Financial Assistance (Fayette County (Lexington))

The city's Community and Resident Services office can help with rent, mortgage or utilities to prevent eviction or shutoff, if funds are available. Pre-screening looks for at least one year living in Fayette County, no help from the office with rent or utilities in the past three years, and a seven-day or eviction notice or rent more than 30 days past due. Call to schedule an appointment, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring IDs, Social Security cards, income proof, residency proof, your notice and your lease.

Visit website · Phone: 859-300-5300 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Lexington Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention (Lexington)

A city office with housing advocates who help residents find affordable units and landlords willing to work with barriers such as past evictions. Its page does not list a rent fund, so use the emergency financial assistance line for that.

Visit website · Phone: 859-258-3070 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Stop My Eviction (Jefferson County (Louisville))

For tenants with a scheduled eviction court case. It connects you to free representation through the Legal Aid Society, where you leave a voicemail with your contact details, plus court access by phone or Zoom, interpreting and a Community Navigator form. It warns that missing court results in a judgment against you.

Visit website · Phone: 502-584-1254 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Louisville Metro Community Action (Jefferson County (Louisville))

The state's KY RISE directory for the Jefferson region points to this city department for rental and utility assistance. The directory gives no phone number or program details, so confirm what is available with the city or through 211.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in Kentucky?

A landlord must give dated, signed written notice stating the reason, then file a Forcible Detainer case if you stay. Your lease sets the notice period, and with no lease term it is 30 days. Places that adopted the state landlord-tenant act, including Louisville-Jefferson County, Lexington-Fayette County, Covington and others, use shorter rules: 7 days to pay rent in full, and 14 days for a lease violation. If the judge orders eviction, you have 7 days after the hearing to move out, and an appeal must also be filed within 7 days, with the filing fee and any rent due. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Kentucky Justice Online (kyjustice.org). Kentucky legal information with four legal aid programs listed: Legal Aid Society in Louisville at 502-584-1254, Legal Aid of the Bluegrass in Covington at 859-431-8200, Kentucky Legal Aid in Bowling Green at 270-782-1924, and AppalReD Legal Aid in Prestonsburg at 866-277-5733. The site's Help Near You section finds the closest office. Visit website

This page is general information, not legal advice. Don't ignore a notice or court papers, because eviction deadlines can be short.

More Help in Kentucky

Want other options? See our full rent assistance guide, including how to spot a scam, or see your options. That form is not an application for rent assistance. If you submit it, Benefits Explorer and its partners may contact you.

Kentucky Rent Assistance Questions

Who helps with back rent in Lexington?

The city's Community and Resident Services office offers emergency financial assistance if funds are available. Pre-screening asks for at least one year living in Fayette County, no help from the office in the past three years, and a seven-day or eviction notice or rent more than 30 days late. Call 859-300-5300 for an appointment.

Can I get a Section 8 voucher through Kentucky Housing Corporation now?

Not right now. KHC says its Housing Choice Voucher waiting list closed on July 26, 2024, and applications are not currently available. For help with rent you already owe, use KHC's Community Resource Guide or your local Community Action agency.

Is there free legal help for evictions in Louisville?

Yes, for those who can be served. Stop My Eviction points Jefferson County tenants with a scheduled court case to the Legal Aid Society at 502-584-1254. Leave a voicemail with your contact information so they can call you back, and still go to court on your date.

Rent Assistance in Nearby States

Most programs only help people who live in their state. If you are moving or live near a state line, you can also check:

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