AN ACT relating to the purchase of single-family homes.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 367 to define terms; prohibit persons who own 50 or more single-family rental homes in the Commonwealth of Kentucky from purchasing additional single-family homes in the Commonwealth of Kentucky except for use by the person as a residence; limit the purchase restriction to single-family homes that have been advertised for sale for less than 90 days or less than 30 days if the purchaser qualifies as a small business; exempt nonprofit corporations from prohibition on the purchase of single-family homes; provide that a violation is also a violation of KRS 367.170; provide for joinder of certain parties with joint and several liability in enforcement actions.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/13/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

AN ACT relating to housing and declaring an emergency.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198A, relating to affordable housing, to define terms; require agencies that expend state or federal affordable housing funds to expend at least 90% of those funds on single-family detached housing and no more than 10% of those funds on multifamily housing in any given fiscal year; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

AN ACT relating to a tax credit for renters.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to establish a refundable qualified rent payment credit for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, but before January 1, 2031, in the amount of 25 percent of the qualified rent payments made during the taxable year, not to exceed $1,000; amend KRS 141.0205 to order the credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow reporting by the Department of Revenue.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

AN ACT relating to housing, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198A to create the affordable housing loan pool fund to be administered by the Kentucky Housing Corporation to provide rehabilitation and construction loans to eligible entities; specify terms and process; amend KRS 198A.080 to modify criteria for housing development loan fund, require notice of eligible funds, and allow expenditure of funds for technical and administrative costs; create new section of KRS Chapter 198A to establish parameters by which the Kentucky Housing Corporation shall review and approve the affordable housing credit; create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to establish the affordable housing credit; amend KRS 141.0205 to order the credit; amend KRS 131.190 to allow the Department of Revenue to report on the credits; appropriate $102,000,000 from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund account for various affordable housing initiatives; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/14/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

AN ACT relating to the screening of residential tenants.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 383 to prohibit landlords from charging screening fees without notice to the applicant; require screening criteria from landlords; require landlords to provide notice of denial to applicants; allow applicants to view the property before a security deposit is paid.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/16/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Judiciary (H)

AN ACT relating to housing.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to define terms; make affordable housing developed by a religious developer a permitted use and require only a ministerial review by a planning unit for compliance with the section; include requirements that an affordable housing development must meet including that it be on property owned by a religious institution prior to January 1, 2026, exclusively contains affordable housing, be less than 24 units and be located only on a parcel in certain zones, and to have obtained all other permits; require a religious institution that does not continue to qualify to seek approval from a planning unit; allow the Kentucky Housing Corporation to advise religious developers regarding affordable housing developments; allow homeless shelters operated by a religious institution to be permitted uses in commercial or business zones.

  CURRENT STATUS

4/7/2026 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; Acts Ch. 37)

AN ACT relating to homelessness prevention, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 194A to create the homelessness prevention fund to be administered by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services for continuum of care funds; specify eligible uses and eligible entities; amend KRS 198A.027 to allow appropriations to be used for homeless initiatives; appropriate $2,000,000 from the budget reserve trust fund to the homelessness prevention fund; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/21/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

AN ACT relating to the affordable housing trust fund.

Amend KRS 64.012 to increase and modify fees received by the county clerk; after January 1, 2027, allow recalculation using the CPI-U, with the fee increase going to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund; apply to fees received by county clerks for services provided on or after August 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

1/23/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

AN ACT relating to permits.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 61 to require a permitting authority to issue a decision on any permit application within 60 days; automatically grant any permit if a permitting authority fails to render a decision within 60 days; require any denial or conditional approval of a permit to be based on clearly established applicable laws or regulations; grant Circuit Court jurisdiction over any permitting matter; require the Circuit Court to determine whether a permitting decision by the permitting authority was based on clear and convincing evidence; require the Circuit Court to award the applicant attorney's fees and costs if the court finds against the permitting authority; allow third-party challenges to permitting decisions only if the third-party has property adjacent to property that has been granted a permit and where the third-party can demonstrate concrete and particularized harm resulting from issuance of a permit; allow an applicant to appeal any adverse decision from a third-party challenge; require a third party to pay applicant's attorney's fees and costs if the permit is finally approved following a third-party challenge; create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to grant by-right approval to housing projects which meet a planning unit's code or regulations; grant Circuit Court jurisdiction over any denial of a housing project under the section; require the Circuit Court to determine whether a denial by the planning unit was based on clear and convincing evidence; require Circuit Court to award the applicant attorney's fees and costs if the court finds against the planning unit; provide that the section does not prevent monitoring by the planning unit or affect restrictions in rules or regulations of a homeowners association, condominium association, or other property owners association; amend KRS 198B.060 to permit third-party plan review and inspections under new procedures; create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to define terms; require regulatory authorities to provide information to prospective applicants regarding requirements to apply for a permit; require a regulatory authority to inform an applicant of whether the application is complete within 3 days and include whether the regulatory authority is able to perform plan review and inspection within specified time limits; require a regulatory authority to conduct plan review within 7 days of receipt of a complete application and inspections within 5 days of any request for an inspection being made; permit an applicant to use a qualifying third-party inspector; set out circumstances under which a regulatory authority may collect fees depending on use of a third-party inspector; set out what a third-party inspector may review and set out qualifications and requirements the third-party inspector must meet; require a regulatory authority to issue a permit within 1 business day of the completion of required plan reviews and inspections associated with an otherwise complete application; state that any ordinance, rule, or regulation contrary is void and unenforceable; state that a regulatory authority may issue a stop work order if a condition of a project constitute an immediate threat to public safety and welfare; establish immunity for the regulatory authority for action of an applicant or third-party inspector.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/13/2026 - (H) Returned to Committee House Local Government (H)

AN ACT relating to housing development districts.

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.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/9/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

AN ACT relating to planning and zoning.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to define "qualifying planning unit," "qualifying residential development," "small lot," "service document," and "transitional buffer"; prohibit a qualifying planning unit from establishing certain restrictions on a qualifying residential development or small lot; allow a qualifying planning unit to adopt generally applicable regulations related to specified environmental features, and other matters for which a planning unit is authorized to regulate; establish that there is no effect on property owner's associations; establish a cause of action and recovery costs and awarding of attorney's fees if successful; establish limitations on when a qualifying planning unit may deny a development; allow a developer to modify and resubmit development plans after a denial; require a qualifying planning unit alleging substantial negative impacts to articulate those impacts and demonstrate them under clear and convincing evidentiary standard; establish a cause of action by a developer to bring suit for a development plan denial; permit a local government to require a transitional buffer between existing development and a qualifying residential development; create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to prohibit a planning unit from adopting certain space requirements for parking; direct that the prohibition does not alleviate responsibility to provide accessible parking; allow a planning unit to deny a development if there would be substantial negative impacts; allow a developer to modify and resubmit plans to remediate negative impacts; require a planning unit alleging substantial negative impacts to articulate those impacts and demonstrate them under clear and convincing evidentiary standard; establish a cause of action by a developer for a denial due to a substantial negative impact; create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to define "mixed-use residential development," "multifamily residential development," and "qualifying planning unit"; direct that in a qualifying planning unit mixed-use and multifamily developments are permitted use in commercial zones; prohibit a qualifying planning unit from imposing requirements on those developments more restrictive than other uses in the zone or to have certain parking requirements; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/13/2026 - (H) Returned to Committee House Local Government (H)

AN ACT relating to residential housing.

Amend KRS 198B.050 to require that building code standards for 2, 3, and 4 family homes not be more stringent than those for single-family homes; amend KRS 198B.060 to apply exemption for single-family homes to 2, 3, and 4 family homes; permit third-party plan review and inspections under new procedures; create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to define terms; require regulatory authorities to provide information to prospective applicants regarding requirements to apply for a permit; require a regulatory authority to inform an applicant of whether the application is complete within 3 days and include whether the regulatory authority is able to perform plan review and inspection within specified time limits; require a regulatory authority to conduct plan review within 14 days of receipt of a complete application and inspections within 5 days of any request for an inspection being made; provide for circumstances in which deadlines may be extended; permit an applicant to use a qualifying third-party inspector; set out circumstances under which a regulatory authority may collect fees depending on use of a third-party inspector; set out what a third-party inspector may review and set out qualifications and requirements the third-party inspector must meet; require a regulatory authority to issue a permit within 1 business day of the completion of required plan reviews and inspections associated with an otherwise complete application; state that any ordinance, rule, or regulation contrary is void and unenforceable; state that a regulatory authority may issue a stop work order if a condition of a project constitute an immediate threat to public safety and welfare; establish immunity for the regulatory authority for action of an applicant or third-party inspector; EFFECTIVE July 1, 2027.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/13/2026 - (H) Returned to Committee House Local Government (H)

AN ACT relating to residential building permits.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to define terms; require regulatory authorities to provide information to prospective applicants regarding requirements to apply for a permit; require a regulatory authority to inform an applicant of whether the application is complete within 3 days and include whether the regulatory authority is able to perform plan review and inspection within specified time limits; require a regulatory authority to conduct plan review within 14 days of receipt of a complete application and inspections within 5 days of any request for an inspection being made; provide for circumstances in which deadlines may be extended; permit an applicant to use a qualifying third-party inspector; set out circumstances under which a regulatory authority may collect fees depending on use of a third-party inspector; set out what a third-party inspector may review and set out qualifications and requirements the third-party inspector must meet; require a regulatory authority to issue a permit within 1 business day of the completion of required plan reviews and inspections associated with an otherwise complete application; state that any ordinance, rule, or regulation contrary is void and unenforceable; state that a regulatory authority may issue a stop-work order if a condition of a project constitute an immediate threat to public safety and welfare; establish immunity for the regulatory authority for action of an applicant or third-party inspector; amend KRS 198B.060 to conform.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/4/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Local Government (H)

AN ACT relating to the certified rehabilitation credit and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 171.396 to define and redefine certain terms; allow the certified rehabilitation credit cap to be allocated as 15% for owner-occupied residential property and 85% for property other than owner-occupied residential property, including workforce housing; require that projects approved as workforce housing maintain affordability for individuals earning 80% of the county level area median income or less; amend KRS 171.397 to state that the provisions established in this statute pertain to applications received before April 30, 2026; create a new section of KRS Chapter 171 to apply to applications received after April 30, 2026 with certain changes; current credit program cap of $100 million is maintained; with a split of $50 million into 2 separate credit allocation application rounds; expand the credit to apply to certain taxes imposed in KRS Chapter 136; require the Kentucky Heritage Council to work with the Kentucky Housing Corporation to ensure the workforce housing property maintains area median income affordability requirements for 5 years within completion of the certified rehabilitation; create a new section of KRS Chapter 198A to require the corporation to work with the Kentucky Heritage Council for these purposes; amend KRS 141.0205; 141.382; and 171.3961 to make conforming changes.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/5/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION directing the establishment of the Property Taxation Task Force.

Direct the Legislative Research Commission to establish the Property Taxation Task Force to study, review, and provide policy recommendations on how to address local property taxation increases; require the task force to meet monthly during the 2026 legislative interim; outline task force membership; require the task force to submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

2/4/2026 - (H) Referred to Committee House Appropriations & Revenue (H)

AN ACT relating to housing districts.

SCS (1) Retain original provisions, except require a developer or property owner to obtain approval from a mortgage or lien holder, if applicable, for a parcel of property to be included within a residential infrastructure development district; limit a housing development district to no more than 20% agricultural use land upon the establishment of the district; require a local government to provide notice to each property owner of property to be included in a district relating to the right to exclude the property from the district. HCS (1) Retain original provisions, except require a local government to provide written notice of a public hearing regarding an exemption to planning and zoning for a housing development district; create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define terms; establish that an applicant has a vested right to the development standards in place at the time of application for a building permit, development plan, or subdivision plat upon the submission of the application to a relevant authority; establish vesting periods; allow for extensions to the vesting period; establish that the relevant authority may terminate the vested rights under specified circumstances; establish enforcement authority; amend KRS 100.347 to limit entities which have standing to challenge a final action of a planning and zoning authority; create a new section of KRS Chapter 198B to define terms; require regulatory authorities to provide information to prospective applicants regarding requirements to apply for a permit; require a regulatory authority to inform an applicant of whether the application is complete within 5 days and include whether the regulatory authority is able to perform plan review and inspection within specified time limits; require a regulatory authority to conduct plan review within 10 days of receipt of a complete application and inspections within 5 days of any request for an inspection being made; permit an applicant to use a qualifying third-party inspector; set out circumstances under which a regulatory authority may collect fees depending on use of a third-party inspector; set out what a third-party inspector may review and set out qualifications and requirements the third-party inspector must meet; require a regulatory authority to issue a permit within 3 business days of the completion of required plan reviews and inspections associated with an otherwise complete application; state that any ordinance, rule, or regulation contrary is void and unenforceable; state that a regulatory authority may issue a stop-work order if a condition of a project constitute an immediate threat to public safety and welfare; establish immunity for the regulatory authority for action of an applicant or third-party inspector; amend KRS 198B.060 to conform; amend KRS 381.785 to exclude from the definition of "planned community" groups with 4 or fewer residential lots; amend KRS 381.794 to exempt planned communities with 15 or fewer units from financial reporting and document retention requirements; amend KRS 381.9197 to exempt condominiums with 15 or fewer units from financial reporting and document retention requirements; 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; create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to prohibit a planning unit from adopting or enforcing certain ordinances related to vehicle parking; state that the prohibition does not alleviate obligations to provide accessible parking; create a new section of KRS Chapter 100 to define "commercial zone," "mixed-use residential development," and "multifamily residential development"; direct that mixed-use and multifamily developments are a permitted use in commercial zones; prohibit a planning unit from imposing certain requirements on those residential developments; create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define terms relating to short-term rentals; prohibit a local government from adopting or enforcing specific ordinances restricting the operation of a short-term rental; allow a planning unit to require registration for the operation of short-term rentals and enumerate the contents of a registration, procedures for registration, revocation of registration, and penalties for operating without registration when planning unit has adopted a registration ordinance; state that ordinances generally applicable to all dwellings that are necessary for public health or safety and do not treat short-term rentals differently than other residential properties are unaffected; state that any ordinance that conflicts with provisions of the section is void and unenforceable and that a party aggrieved by a violation of the section may be awarded attorney's fees and costs; state that the section shall not be construed to affect regulations of a homeowner's association or other similar property owner association; amend KRS 198B.030 to require the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction to consider the effects of any proposed new or amended regulation on residential construction by conducting a cost-benefit analysis and an analysis to determine the impacts on the amount of residential construction; require the analyses to be submitted to the Housing, Buildings and Construction Advisory Committee and the Legislative Research Commission; amend KRS 211.203 to exempt pools that share a plat with a single-family residence that are rented to guests by the owner of the residence from regulation as public pools; create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define "local government," "low voltage battery-charged security fence," and "nonelectric perimeter barrier"; allow low voltage battery-charged security fences to be installed and operated on property that is not used as or exclusively zoned for residential purposes without the need to obtain any local government permit, approval, or other authorization, except for an alarm permit when required; specify that the bill does not impede a local government's usage of safety codes and generally applicable setback, height, and lot coverage requirements for nonelectric perimeter barriers; create new sections of KRS 383.200 to 383.285 to provide for expungement of records in eviction proceedings that are dismissed; prohibit minors from being named in an action for forcible detainer unless the minor is a leaseholder; provide for expungement of a minor's name from an order; amend KRS 383.240 to require the court to give notice to the parties that records will be expunged; amend KRS 383.250 to provide for sealing of records; amend KRS 367.310 to prohibit consumer reporting agencies from maintaining information in their files relating to dismissed eviction actions; provide that the expungement of dismissed eviction actions applies to actions initiated on or after the effective date of the Act. HCA (1) Make title amendment.

  CURRENT STATUS

4/15/2026 - Free Conference Committee Appointed in House Rep. Osborne, Chair; Rep. Flannery; Rep. Meade; Rep. Kulkarni; Rep. Witten

AN ACT relating to affordable housing, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 198A to define terms; establish the abandoned home pool fund to be administered by the Kentucky Housing Corporation; specify eligible recipients, activities, and uses of fund; amend KRS 64.012 to increase county clerk recording fees and add a $2 fee to be deposited in the abandoned home pool fund; appropriate $25,000,000 from the General Fund to the abandoned home pool fund; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY, effective July 1, 2026.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/11/2026 - Senate State & Local Government (S), (Bill Scheduled for Hearing)

AN ACT relating to land use.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 65 to define terms; establish that an applicant has a vested right to the development standards in place at the time of application for a building permit, development plan, or subdivision plat upon the submission of the application to a relevant authority; establish vesting periods; allow for extensions to the vesting period; establish that the relevant authority may terminate the vested rights under specified circumstances; establish enforcement authority; allow for the amendment to a development plan on a vested right; amend KRS 100.347 to limit entities which have standing to challenge a final action of a planning and zoning authority. SCS (1) Retain original provisions except state that a relevant authority shall consider an application for approval based on the development standards in effect at the time the application was submitted.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/17/2026 - received in House

AN ACT relating to regulation of residential construction.

Amend KRS 198B.030 to require the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction to consider the effects of any proposed new or amended regulation on residential construction by conducting a cost-benefit analysis and an analysis to determine the impacts on the amount of residential construction; require the analyses to be submitted to the Housing, Buildings and Construction Advisory Committee and the Legislative Research Commission; establish a moratorium on the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction altering or amending any state code in a way that would result in an increase in residential construction costs until January 1, 2029. SCS (1) Retain original provisions, except delete section establishing a moratorium on the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction altering or amending any state code in a way that would result in an increase in residential construction costs until January 1, 2029; make technical correction.

  CURRENT STATUS

3/17/2026 - received in House