LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A virtual town hall was held Tuesday to share insight on an ordinance that will soon be presented at Louisville Metro's Planning and Zoning Committee meeting.
The Historically Black Neighborhoods Ordinance would designate the current and former neighborhoods and communities of Berrytown; California; Limerick; Little Africa; Petersburg; Russell; Shawnee; and Smoketown. Among other things, it would require any commercial or residential development proposal within those boundaries that seeks to use city resources — such as financial incentives or publicly-owned land — to have an assessment done to determine if residents might be displaced.
A 2019 city-funded housing report concluded that there is a “growing challenge to help guard against the displacement of current residents and businesses” due to rising home values in older, lower-income areas near the city’s urban core.
That report also found that the risk of displacement is highest in neighborhoods such as Russell, where the former Beecher Terrace public housing complex is being replaced with new apartments; and in Smoketown, home to “more frequent and profitable” renovations of older homes.
Jessica Bellamy, an organizer with the Louisville Tenants Union, led the town hall that discussed the ordinance and housing issues around city. She said communities are "full of hard working people" who are often forced to move out of their neighborhoods because of rising housing costs.
People attending the virtual meeting discussed the impact of developers who buy houses in the communities that potentially displace residents because of rising costs. Metro Councilmember Jecorey Arthur, D-4, believes the ordinance is a policy strategy that would prevent displacement.
"If the government is displacing folks, the private market is going to follow," Arthur said in the meeting. "We need our government to lead by example."
A new entity — the 19-member Historically Black Neighborhoods Commission — would be created through the ordinance and put in charge of conducting the displacement assessments and other work.
"We do have amendments that expand the places that are protected," Arthur said. "We are willing to expand it if we need to to protect more folks."
Councilmember Kumar Rashad, who represents the District 3, said, "It's incumbent on the local government to save folks from harm. We have to put our people in a better position."
The ordinance will be heard in Metro Council's Planning and Zoning Committee meeting on Aug. 15 at 1 p.m.
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