The Rising Fear of Foreclosure in Kentucky: A Resurgent Crisis

The foreclosures are creeping upward. In Kentucky, they are moving at an unsettling pace—one that suggests the economic stress of rising interest rates, inflation, and job insecurity has begun to erode the financial footholds of homeowners across the state. For people like Susan Caldwell, a retired schoolteacher in Louisville, this means waking up every morning to a house that might not be hers much longer.

“I never thought I’d be here,” Caldwell said, sitting at the kitchen table she carefully chose twelve years ago when she and her husband bought their modest three-bedroom home. “We did everything right. We paid our mortgage on time—until we couldn’t.”

The data behind Caldwell’s story is ominous. Kentucky recorded 269 pre-foreclosure filings in September 2024, a troubling 65% increase from August and a 22% rise from the same period last year. These are more than just numbers—they represent Kentuckians at risk of losing their homes, a prospect that has only become more common as economic pressures mount.

The Growing Signs of Distress

For much of the last decade, Kentucky had been moving away from the foreclosure epidemics that defined the Great Recession. After a staggering 11,550 pre-foreclosure cases in 2010, intervention programs and economic recovery helped bring them steadily down. By 2021, the state had only 1,085 filings, reflecting foreclosure moratoriums and pandemic-related relief efforts.

But those numbers are rising once again. Since 2023, pre-foreclosures have more than doubled compared to 2022 levels. In just the first nine months of 2024, Kentucky has already recorded 1,526 pre-foreclosures, suggesting the state could surpass last year’s total of 2,274 before the year ends.

Homeowners like Caldwell, who refinanced during the era of ultra-low interest rates, were doing fine—until inflation made everything else harder, from groceries to medical bills. Her husband passed away earlier this year, leaving Caldwell, 67, to cover the mortgage, utilities, and mounting property taxes on a now-fixed income.

“I never thought that feeding myself would be competing with keeping my home,” she said, shaking her head. “But here I am, picking which bills get paid and which ones don’t.”

Why Are Foreclosures Increasing Again?

The sharp rise in pre-foreclosures is not unique to Kentucky, but it does expose the fragile balance many homeowners maintain. Several factors are fueling the increase:

1. Rising Interest Rates and Mortgage Payments
   Many homeowners who purchased or refinanced homes during the low-rate boom of the pandemic are now grappling with higher adjustable-rate mortgage payments as interest rates remain at their highest levels in decades. Even those with fixed rates are struggling—property taxes and insurance costs have surged, making affordability an increasing issue.
2. Inflation-Choked Budgets
   Inflation in necessities like food, gas, and utilities has stretched family budgets thin. A mortgage payment that once felt comfortable is now a burden when grocery bills have risen 25% in just the last three years.
3. Job Insecurity in Key Industries
   Though unemployment remains relatively low, layoffs in sectors like retail and healthcare have impacted Kentucky workers disproportionately. For those living paycheck to paycheck, even a short-term job loss can lead to missed mortgage payments.

“I had three months’ savings,” said Marcus Hill, a father of two in Lexington facing foreclosure after being laid off from his warehouse job. “It wasn’t enough.”

A Regional Challenge Without Easy Answers

While it is clear pre-foreclosure rates are increasing statewide, the data does not yet capture which Kentucky counties or cities are suffering the most. However, historically, urban areas such as Louisville, Lexington, and Bowling Green have been hotspots for foreclosure activity, while rural counties face different but equally devastating challenges of economic stagnation and declining property values.

The Kentucky Housing Corporation and nonprofit organizations are ramping up their outreach, helping homeowners navigate loan modifications, refinancing options, and emergency assistance grants. But housing advocates worry that relief programs are not keeping up with the sheer number of homeowners in distress.

The problem is, help comes too late for most people,” said Donna Ramirez, a foreclosure prevention counselor in Owensboro. “By the time they call me, they’re already three months behind. And banks don’t have much patience these days.”

Looking Ahead: Is Stability Possible?

Pre-foreclosures are not the same as completed foreclosures, but they are the first step in a process that, without intervention, ends with families losing their homes. The sharp increase this year suggests a housing market still under siege from broader economic pressures.

If the trend continues, 2024 could mark one of the highest pre-foreclosure years in the last decade. Solutions will require not just traditional mortgage assistance programs but broader economic relief—wage increases, more affordable housing options, and stronger protections for homeowners in distress.

For Caldwell, the future remains uncertain. She has applied for financial assistance but is unsure if it will come in time.

“I always thought I’d pass this house on to my grandkids,” she said. “Now, I just hope I make it to next year without losing it.”

Her story—like those of thousands of Kentuckians—is not just about a house. It is about stability, history, and hope.