The Hopkinsville Christian County Human Rights Commission hosted a public forum Thursday night to break down the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act—legislation designed to set clear expectations between renters and landlords. But as the conversation unfolded, so did some of the tensions and misunderstandings surrounding the law.
Attorney and educator Laurel King says much of the confusion comes from how people think URLTA works.
click to download audioBut fairness was only part of the discussion Thursday. Human Rights Commissioner and commercial landlord Andrew Troche-Thompson expected a mix of voices.
click to download audioInstead, many seats in the room were filled by landlords. Many tenants stayed home, which Human Rights Commission Executive Director Raychel Farmer says happens often.
click to download audioKing says that silence makes it harder to separate emotion from what the legislation actually does.
click to download audioThat disconnect was on display as landlords expressed concern about code enforcement and the financial strain of maintaining properties. King says those worries are real—but not part of what URLTA addresses.
click to download audioTroche-Thompson says the confusion showed that the community may not be ready to adopt URLTA without more preparation.
click to download audioFarmer says that’s exactly why the Human Rights Commission launched the forum series.
click to download audioShe says the biggest problems often come from landlords who never show up to these conversations.
click to download audioStill, the Commission plans to keep moving forward, preparing to eventually take the proposal back to the Committee of the Whole and—if approved—to City Council.
click to download audioFor Troche-Thompson, the work continues with another chance for dialogue early next year.
click to download audioThe Human Rights Commission says it hopes future meetings will bring more renters into the conversation as the community debates whether URLTA should be adopted locally.
