Housing

This bill confirms the reappointment of Marilyn Mason to the Kentucky Housing Corporation Board of Directors for a term ending on October 30, 2029. The resolution validates a prior appointment made by the Governor, ensuring Mason continues to represent real estate practitioners on the board. Upon adoption, the Senate Clerk will notify both Mason and the Governor of the confirmation.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 prohibiting a local government from adopting or enforcing certain restrictions on the occupancy of dwelling units; state that the prohibition does not affect a local government's ability to enforce safety codes including the state building code or any uniform code or administrative regulation related to fire safety or the construction or safety of buildings.

Direct the Legislative Research Commission to establish the Property Tax Relief Task Force to study and review the taxation of property and make policy recommendations to address affordability issues; require the task force to seek input from other groups in the development of policy recommendations and strategies; outline task force membership; require the task force to meet monthly during the 2026 Interim; require the task force to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2026.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define terms; permit a local government to establish a revolving loan program fund to facilitate affordable housing; establish requirements for the fund; permit a local government to use bonding authority to support a fund; establish means and terms of repayment of bonds issued for a fund; permit a local government to use a fund to make loans for development of affordable housing and for rehabilitation of homes by low-income persons; allow local government to assess fines and fees for failure to repay loans as part of a program; create a lien in association with a loan issued under a program and set out priority of the lien.

Amend KRS 107.310, relating to community improvement districts, to define "green infrastructure", "green bond", and "social impact bond"; amend KRS 107.330 to increase the scope of community improvement districts to include public infrastructure, housing, public safety and health, and economic development tools; amend KRS 107.340 to require county judges/executive to ensure community improvement district board membership does not represent one particular interest; amend KRS 107.350 to allow community improvement districts to use green bonds and social impact bonds; amend KRS 107.380 to increase reporting requirements of community improvement districts; amend KRS 65.7043, 65.7045, and 65.7049 to allow community improvement districts to access moneys from tax increment financing levied by local governments; create new sections of KRS 107.310 to 107.500 to allow community improvement districts to request cities and counties to use special assessments imposed under KRS 91A.200 to 91A.290; allow community improvement districts to receive moneys from private partners; establish the Community Improvement District Grant Program to provide state grants for community improvement district projects and require the Department for Local Government to administer the program; create the Community Improvement District Grant Program fund to be administered by the Department for Local Government; require projects undertaken by community improvement districts to be reapproved by property owners within the boundaries of the district on a 10 year basis.

Propose to amend Section 170 of the Constitution of Kentucky to exempt property owned by seniors who are 65 years of age or older and property owned by a former member of the United States Armed Forces, including the National Guard, who is 100% service-connected combat-related disabled and, upon his death, property owned by his or her surviving spouse; apply to property assessed on or after January 1, 2027; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.

Amend KRS 142.400 to impose a 1% statewide surtax on the rental of accommodations when charged by the owner of the property or by a person facilitating the rental of the property and deposit the receipts from the surtax into the affordable housing trust fund; amend KRS 142.402, 142.404, 142.406, and 198A.190 to conform; EFFECTIVE August 1, 2026.

Create a new section of Subchapter 20 of KRS Chapter 154 to establish the rural building and job creation revolving fund; specify uses of the fund to assist with compliance risk mitigation for the New Markets Tax Credits Program, or to issue low-interest loans to assist with construction of new buildings or renovations of existing buildings for lease to target wage economic development projects; require the Cabinet for Economic Development to report on the fund; create a new section of Subchapter 12 of KRS Chapter 154 to require the cabinet to work with the workforce liaison appointed by the president of the Kentucky Career and Technical College System to promote jobs created in the Commonwealth as a result of incentive programs; require the cabinet to conduct a feasibility and impact study on interstate reciprocity between state economic development programming; amend the general fund appropriation authorized in 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 199, Part I, B, 1.,(12) to not lapse and carry forward; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 383 to define terms; state that a tenant has a right of first refusal to purchase a rental property from the owner of the property; require the owner to notify a tenant prior to listing a rental property for sale or accepting an offer on the property; establish timelines for a tenant to exercise the right of first refusal; specify circumstances under which a tenant's right of first refusal may be waived; establish penalty for violation.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define terms; permit a local government to establish a housing development district and a Housing Incentive Payment Program; allow a local government to exempt housing developments within a district from planning and zoning following a public hearing; permit other local taxing authorities to participate in a district; allow a local government to accept applications from developers to undertake projects within a district; allow a local government to negotiate with a developer whose application it has accepted regarding rates associated with incentive payments to the developer; establish a means by which a developer shall be paid incentive payments by a local government; require area development districts to provide assistance to a local government in establishing a district; require the Cabinet for Economic Development to promote awareness of the district and incentive program and the Certified Child Care Community Designation program set out in KRS 199.891; require the cabinet to post information including a list of local governments that have established a district and have obtained the certified child care community designation to its website; require local governments that have established a district to provide information to the Department for Local Government regarding the district and utilization of the incentive program; require the Department for Local Government to submit a report to LRC summarizing information received from local governments regarding districts; provide that the Act shall not be construed to prohibit a local government from establishing any other program for housing development.