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Educate your inbox with the Bluegrass Institute's once-weekly policy update.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2025
Frankfort, KY — The Bluegrass Institute today congratulated the Kentucky Housing Task Force for advancing a slate of housing reform measures that closely mirror recommendations advanced by the Institute earlier this year. The Task Force’s final report demonstrates a strong commitment to lowering housing costs, expanding supply, and protecting property rights across the commonwealth.
Among the most notable areas of alignment:
- Streamlined Permitting: Both the Task Force and the Institute call for “shot clock” deadlines and third‑party reviews to reduce costly delays.
- Property Owner Protections: Recommendations secure zoning rights at the time of application, preventing sudden downzoning or regulatory changes.
- Density & Land Use Reform: Shared proposals include reducing minimum lot sizes, easing setback requirements, and legalizing small multifamily housing.
- Cost‑Cutting Building Code Changes: Both endorse reforms such as single‑staircase allowances in multi‑family housing to lower construction costs.
- Parking Requirement Reductions: Eliminating or reducing mandatory off‑street parking minimums to maximize land use efficiency.
- Faith‑Based and Charitable Housing Initiatives: Supporting religious and nonprofit organizations in building housing without undue zoning barriers.
The institute encourages lawmakers to adopt solutions that avoid government subsidies and other handouts that will unduly burden taxpayers and decrease affordability in the long run. Instead, lawmakers should work to enhance property rights, cut red tape, and give property owners greater control over the creation of new housing.
Bluegrass Institute scholar and one of the report’s authors, M. Nolan Gray, noted “If we're going to make room for the next generation of Kentuckians, the state has to scale up housing production. This package of reform of best practices will do just that.”
The Bluegrass Institute looks forward to working with lawmakers and stakeholders during the 2026 Regular Session to ensure these reforms are enacted, helping Kentucky remain competitive and ensuring that housing is abundant and affordable for generations to come.
Contact:
Joseph Verruni
jlv@bluegrassinstitute.org
Bluegrass Institute
