FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DEC 9, 2023
MADISON COUNTY TENANTS UNION HOST RALLY TO DEMAND THE END OF THE EVICTION & SHELTER CRISIS, CALLS ON STATE LAWMAKERS TO STOP ATTACKS ON HOUSING
Madison County Tenants are taking action at a rally in Berea to speak out against an ignored crisis. Tenants demand that public officials: 1.take immediate action alongside tenants to end the local eviction crisis. 2. publicly fund emergency shelter services for those of us without a place to stay indoors. 3. oppose current efforts in Frankfort that would further criminalize homelessness.
Berea, KY. Dec. 9, 2023, 1pm EST
Tenants in Madison County are facing an unspoken housing and shelter crisis!
In 2023, we are setting records for the number of evictions filed against us in Madison County courts. We also know that the impact of the eviction crisis is even greater. Many of us who have faced eviction moved before we had a court case filed against us by our landlords.
We have had to sleep in our cars, and pay for hotel rooms that we could not afford in order to have a place to stay. In January of this year, those of us who had to live in a make-shift emergency shelter off of exit 90 saw our encampment bulldozed. The bulldozers destroyed our personal belongings.
We’ve faced unaffordable rising rents. We’ve faced wait-lists for public housing. Landlords refuse to accept our housing vouchers. Even when we are able to afford rent, we are trapped in neglected housing. Mold, maintenance issues, and code violations. We face these challenges every day, even though we are not the ones causing the crisis. We are the ones facing it.
The fees to even submit an application to rent our housing are out of control. We’ve been nickel-and-dimed to death. Out of state corporate landlords are snapping up housing left and right. They grab our apartment complexes and immediately raise the rents.
This year we have learned an important lesson. It doesn’t have to be this way. We deserve better. We have the power in our hands, right now, to turn things around for tenants and working families.
Are you tired of feeling hopeless about the problems we face? Ready to be part of solving them? Join us for the RALLY! To SPEAK OUT against the housing & shelter crisis.
We demand that public officials:
1. take immediate action alongside us to end the local eviction crisis.
2. publicly fund emergency shelter services for those of us without a place to stay indoors. 3. oppose current efforts in Frankfort that would further criminalize homelessness.
We know the eviction crisis will end when tenants like us lead the way. We know that public services like emergency shelter must be funded with public dollars. We know that further criminalizing homelessness make everyone more unsafe.
At 1pm on Dec. 9th, we will be meeting up at Rebel Rebel Lounge in Berea (440 Chestnut St) to make signs and get ready to speak out. From there we will march to the local courthouse. We will pass the mic and demand an end to the housing & shelter crisis we face.
Sign up to join the Madison County Tenants Union at this link to get plugged in:
bit.ly/mctujoin
#HousingIsAHumanRight #Homes4All #TheRentIsTooDamnHigh
The organizations facebook page is: facebook.com/madisoncountytenantsunion
