Evictions have a major impact on the safety and stability of Kentucky kids, often forcing families to move away from systems of support and into housing insecurity. However, a new report from Louisville’s Center for Health Equity shows that the impact of evictions goes much deeper than stability, also impacting the health of children and families.

Evictions are both common and impact families of color more than other groups. Over 16,000 evictions were filed just in Jefferson County in 2022, and both Louisville and Lexington were within the top fifty cities with the highest eviction rates in 2016. There are major disparities by race in who is getting evicted, with one in 10 Black renters being evicted compared to one in 40 White renters. 

Children are also more at risk of eviction than adults, with youth aged birth through 19 being the most likely to face eviction over anyone else.

Within the report, the Louisville Center for Health Equity highlights the impact these evictions have on both children and mothers. For pregnant women and babies, even the threat of an eviction can impact the health of their developing child. Evictions and eviction filings are associated with babies born with low birth weights and infant mortality. Parents facing eviction are also more likely to experience parental stress and depression, which can lead to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for children. 

In addition to the direct health impacts, the stigma of evictions often leaves families with fewer options for safe housing. This forces many into unsafe neighborhoods and poor-quality housing that exposes kids to health hazards such as mold and lead. Mold exposure puts kids at risk of developing asthma, while lead exposure can damage children’s brain, slow development, and lead to behavioral problems. 

Given the impact on physical and mental health, the report calls for Kentucky to pass an eviction expungement bill that will seal eviction filings that do not result in eviction and expunge evictions after a set number of years. Other states, such as Indiana, Utah, and Arizona, have already taken action by passing expungement bills. 

During the 2024 state legislative session, Kentucky saw two bills that addressed eviction expungement – House Bill 71 and Senate Bill 34 – but neither moved out of committee. While we did not see movements on addressing the impact of evictions on Kentucky families, the legislature did recently announce the development of a Housing Task Force that will look at Kentucky’s housing shortage and identify strategies to increase the number of available houses. We hope that this task force takes a look at evictions, both their impact on housing security and child health.