Ky. Rev. Stat. ch. 65 § 65.875
Prohibition against local rent control on private property
Operative Text
65.875 Prohibition against local rent control on private property. Notwithstanding the provisions of KRS 67.712, 67.083, 82.082, and 83.420, to insure uniformity and statewide application, only the General Assembly shall enact legislation which would control rents on private property. This section is not intended to impair the right of any city, county, or urban-county to manage and control any property in which it has an interest through a housing authority or similar agency which provides housing assistance, nor is this section intended to include those programs operated by any city, county, or urban-county pursuant to federal grant programs.
Kentucky Revised Statute § 65.875 establishes that only the state legislature — the General Assembly — has the authority to enact rent control laws affecting private property in Kentucky. Local governments such as cities and counties are preempted from passing their own rent regulation ordinances. The prohibition does not extend to housing managed by local housing authorities or to programs funded through federal grants, which remain permissible at the local level.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ky. Rev. Stat. § 65.875, private rental property in Kentucky is not subject to any locally enacted rent control or rent stabilization ordinance, since that authority is reserved exclusively to the state legislature. Compliant operators generally set rents and rent increases according to market conditions and the terms of their lease agreements, without concern for conflicting local rent caps. Landlords should still be aware that publicly assisted housing or federally funded programs may operate under separate rules.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ky. Rev. Stat. § 65.875 means that no city or county in Kentucky can impose rent control protections on private rental units, so tenants in private housing do not have a local rent board to petition for relief from rent increases. Tenants living in housing authority properties or units tied to federal grant programs may have different protections worth exploring. Tenant-rights organizations in Kentucky can help renters understand what state-level protections, if any, may apply to their housing situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 19, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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