Kentucky Bans Local Rent Control

KRS 65.875 states that "to insure uniformity and statewide application, only the General Assembly shall enact legislation which would control rents on private property," overriding the general home-rule powers of counties, cities, and urban-county governments. The result is full state preemption: no Kentucky local government may adopt a rent control or rent stabilization ordinance for private residential property, and the legislature has enacted no statewide rent cap. The statute preserves a narrow exception so cities and counties can still manage property in which they hold an interest through a housing authority or federal housing-assistance program. Because there is no statewide cap, private landlords may set and raise rents at the lease term, subject only to the lease and notice requirements.

A local rent control ordinance would be void as preempted by KRS 65.875, since only the General Assembly may legislate on private-property rents; such an ordinance would be unenforceable and subject to legal challenge.