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Eviction: do this now

  1. Court papers? Go to court on your date, or you will likely lose
  2. Free legal help (Louisville area): Legal Aid 502-584-1254
  3. Get help paying rent
  4. Locked out by your landlord? Not allowed without a court order
  5. Nowhere to stay tonight? Call 211

Outside the Louisville area? Find free legal help for your county

Private plan · nothing is sent

Court papers

Applying for rent help does not cancel your court date.

Who to call

Legal Aid Society serves Breckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hardin, Henry, Jefferson, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble, and Washington counties.

Somewhere else in Kentucky? Find the legal aid office for your county.

Get help paying rent

Have ready: your lease, the notice or court papers, photo ID, and proof of income. If one place is out of money, call the next.

  • Louisville Metro Government

    No phone listed

    No public phone yet. Open Details for how to reach them.

    Listed, not yet confirmed · Details

  • Operation Care, Inc.

    No phone listed

    Call or use listed contact verify current availability and screening requirements.

    Listed, not yet confirmed · Details

  • Organization identity needs confirmation

    No phone listed

    No public phone yet. Open Details for how to reach them.

    Listed, not yet confirmed · Details

  • StopMyEviction.org

    No phone listed

    Use website as soon as eviction threat or court papers arrive seek legal help before court date.

    Listed, not yet confirmed · source Oct 20, 2026 · Details

See every rent help listing

Locked out or utilities cut off?

Call Legal Aid. If you are in danger, call 911.

Full guide and fine print
Full guide and fine print

Step-by-step plans, what to bring, the rules behind each step, and their sources.

Your plan

6 steps, in the order that works. Select any step for the full instructions.

  1. Step 1 of 6. Read the notice and court papers. More info.
  2. Step 2 of 6. Contact legal help promptly. More info.
  3. Step 3 of 6. Assemble the payment and notice record. More info.
  4. Step 4 of 6. Request rent assistance separately. More info.
  5. Step 5 of 6. Confirm the next court action. More info.
  6. Step 6 of 6. Keep a safe housing fallback. More info.

This is the ordered plan for Facing Eviction or Behind on Rent. Each step links to its full instructions further down this page.

Answer these to shorten your plan

Optional. Answers stay in this browser tab; they are not placed in the address, sent to No One Left Outside or used to decide eligibility. Skipping every question gives you the full plan above.

What stage can you confirm?
Have you requested rent assistance?

Progress stays in this browser tab and is never sent to No One Left Outside.

Start here

Your first action

Packet

Do this now

Contact a qualified legal resource promptly about your notice or court paper. Keep every notice, court paper, and payment record.

Next: Legal Aid Society intake

Apply online 24 hours a day at yourlegalaid.org

Ask: Ask what action or appearance is required and by what date. Phone intake is Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at (502) 584-1254. Whether Legal Aid can take a case is its decision.

Not in Louisville? Outside Louisville: Kentucky's legal self-help page

Find civil legal aid for your countyCall Kentucky 211 (Dial 211)

Legal Aid Society serves the Louisville area. Kentucky Court of Justice's Legal Self-Help page links civil legal-aid resources, court forms, and self-help tools statewide. Have every notice and court paper ready when you call.

Situation: A balance, notice, or court paper has been received. The stage — balance only, written notice, filed case, or order — determines what action is urgent.

What you need to startUse what you have. Missing items do not block the first call.

Have ready if available

  • Every notice, message, and court paper received
  • Lease and payment records
  • The stage: balance-only, written notice, filed case, or order
  • A safe backup housing and transportation plan

Missing something? Ask what can be reviewed; do not wait to call.

If the first route fails

If legal help cannot be reached or rent assistance is also needed: Dial 211 for current rent-assistance and legal-resource leads. Assistance funding and Legal Aid capacity change; 211 can provide referral leads; each receiving program must confirm its own availability.

Dial 211

Keep any existing legal-aid application and payment records active while searching assistance routes.

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-09-12 · Jurisdiction-neutral

What remains uncertain: Deadlines, required appearances, and assistance availability are controlled by the agency, court, or program — not by this page. Confirm the current status of every open item directly.

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky

Programs under one organization can differ. Provider information · Methodology

Choose what needs attention

What is your current housing situation?

Select the stage that matches your notice, court status, or move-out deadline.

Select a card to add it. Select it again to remove it.

Keep the plan moving

If the first route is closed or you cannot use it

A closed office, unanswered call, or unavailable device does not prove that you are denied or that a service is unavailable. This guide lists some options, not every possible route. If it is safe to do so, ask for another appropriate contact and keep the original task open.

The office or line is closed

Record what failed and when. Use a listed same-day alternative if one exists, and keep the original call or application as a separate follow-up.

See things that may help today

You cannot use the phone or website

Check for another published channel or ask a trusted helper to open the route with you. Share only the minimum information needed. If no workable channel is listed, that gap remains unknown.

Check the official routes

Related resources can offer another path, but a listing does not confirm current hours, capacity, eligibility, or acceptance. Review related resources.

What this guide cannot promise

Reviewed guidance only. Fees, timelines, eligibility, document substitutes, capacity, and provider practices are not published unless supported by a named source. Confirm current requirements directly.

How to read checked, listed, and unknown informationA listing can stay useful without being provider confirmed.
Checked fact or route
No One Left Outside matched the fact to the named source on the date shown. This is not proof of current availability or provider confirmation.
Directory lead
A listing that may still help remains visible with an honest status such as Possibly active or Needs verification.
PROVIDER CONFIRMED
Only named fields backed by linked first-party provider evidence, integrity checks, and attributed human approval may carry this state. No One Left Outside never infers it from a website, import, likely fit, or contact attempt.
UNKNOWN / Needs verification
No One Left Outside does not know the answer yet. Confirm it directly; this is not a claim that the resource or option does not exist.

Each step in full

The same steps as the plan above, with the instructions for each one.

  1. Step 1Read the notice and court papers of 6

    Private plan · nothing is sent

    Do this

    Find the sender, case number, action requested, and any hearing or response date on the actual papers.

    • Separate a balance, landlord notice, filed case, and court order; keep the envelope and all pages.
    • Ask the court clerk to confirm scheduling or obtain copies; ask legal aid about what the papers require.

    Ways to get help for this step

    • Kentucky Justice Online eviction help and legal-aid finder — statewide

      Statewide eviction information from Kentucky's civil legal aid programs, with a finder for the program serving your county. It does not calculate your deadline.

      Open official route →
    • Kentucky Court of Justice Legal Self-Help — statewide

      Statewide court self-help, forms and legal-aid links. It does not interpret your papers or replace case-specific advice.

      Open official route →

    Limits and what to confirm

    • The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
    • This page does not calculate your deadline or determine which local rules govern.
    Why this step is here

    Do this now; gathering every receipt must not delay a required court response.

    What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)

    Official sources checked (2)

    • Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programsEvictions
      Establishes: Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.
      Practical limit: The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
      Checked on 2026-09-30
    • Kentucky Court of JusticeLegal Self-Help
      Establishes: Kentucky Court of Justice’s Legal Self-Help page links civil legal-aid resources, court forms, and self-help tools for issues including eviction. It does not identify the correct filing, interpret papers, or replace case-specific legal advice.
      Checked on 2026-08-05

    Still unknown

    • This page does not calculate your deadline or determine which local rules govern.
    Back to your plan

  2. Step 2Contact legal help promptly of 6

    Private plan · nothing is sent

    Do this

    Send the actual notice or court papers to the legal-aid program serving your county.

    • Use Kentucky Justice Online or the Court of Justice's Legal Self-Help page to find the legal-aid program serving your county. In Jefferson and 14 nearby counties, Legal Aid Society publishes an online application and 502-584-1254.
    • If a date is near, say so and ask what to do while intake is pending. Do not assume submitting intake means someone represents you.

    Ways to get help for this step

    • Kentucky Justice Online Directory

      Find the civil legal aid organization serving your Kentucky county.

      Open official route →
    • Kentucky Court of Justice Legal Self-Help — statewide

      Statewide links to civil legal aid, court forms and self-help tools if the directory does not answer your county.

      Open official route →
    • Legal Aid Society intake — Jefferson and 14 nearby counties

      Jefferson and 14 nearby counties only, Monday to Thursday. Tell the program your actual court date; a call does not establish representation.

      Call (502) 584-1254

    Limits and what to confirm

    • The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
    • Confirm Legal Aid Society's service area and intake for your case. Applying does not create an attorney-client relationship or stop a hearing.
    • Representation, response time for your case, and any defense remain UNKNOWN.
    What was checked, and what is still unknown (3)

    Official sources checked (3)

    • Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programsEvictions
      Establishes: Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.
      Practical limit: The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
      Checked on 2026-09-30
    • Legal Aid SocietyApplication for Services
      Establishes: Completing this application does not make you a client of Legal Aid Society and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
      Practical limit: Confirm Legal Aid Society's service area and intake for your case. Applying does not create an attorney-client relationship or stop a hearing.
      Checked on 2026-09-30
    • Kentucky Court of JusticeLegal Self-Help
      Establishes: Kentucky Court of Justice’s Legal Self-Help page links civil legal-aid resources, court forms, and self-help tools for issues including eviction. It does not identify the correct filing, interpret papers, or replace case-specific legal advice.
      Checked on 2026-08-05

    Still unknown

    • Representation, response time for your case, and any defense remain UNKNOWN.
    Back to your plan

  3. Step 3Assemble the payment and notice record of 6

    Private plan · nothing is sent

    Do this

    Make one timeline of the lease, claimed balance, payments, messages, and notices.

    • Label amounts you dispute and attach receipts rather than changing the landlord's ledger.
    • Request missing copies; share records directly with your lawyer or assistance program.

    Ways to get help for this step

    • Kentucky Justice Online eviction help and legal-aid finder — statewide

      Find the legal-aid program serving your county and share the record with it directly, never through No One Left Outside.

      Open official route →

    Limits and what to confirm

    • The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
    • A disputed amount or payment does not establish that a case is dismissed.
    What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)

    Official sources checked (1)

    • Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programsEvictions
      Establishes: Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.
      Practical limit: The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
      Checked on 2026-09-30

    Still unknown

    • A disputed amount or payment does not establish that a case is dismissed.
    Back to your plan

  4. Step 4Request rent assistance separately of 6

    Private plan · nothing is sent

    Do this

    Ask 211 for rent-assistance leads and contact each program for current intake instructions.

    • Ask what bill, lease, income evidence, and landlord participation it needs before applying.
    • Give any confirmation to your legal helper and landlord as appropriate; keep responding to court requirements.

    Ways to get help for this step

    • Kentucky 211 Rent Assistance

      Screen for current local eviction prevention funds, municipal rental relief, and charity assistance.

      Call 211

    Limits and what to confirm

    • 211 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
    • The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
    • Funding, eligibility, processing time, and a hold on eviction are UNKNOWN.
    What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)

    Official sources checked (2)

    • United Way 211Call 211 for Essential Community Services
      Establishes: 211 connects callers to local housing, food, utility, and other resource referrals.
      Practical limit: 211 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
      Checked on 2026-09-07
    • Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programsEvictions
      Establishes: Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.
      Practical limit: The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
      Checked on 2026-09-30

    Still unknown

    • Funding, eligibility, processing time, and a hold on eviction are UNKNOWN.
    Back to your plan

  5. Step 5Confirm the next court action of 6

    Private plan · nothing is sent

    Do this

    Follow the court's instructions and obtain legal advice about any agreement or order.

    • Confirm the date, location or remote access, transportation, interpreter, and accessibility needs.
    • Keep a copy of any signed agreement or order and verify what it says about payment and possession.

    Limits and what to confirm

    • The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
    • Only the court record and qualified legal advice can establish what is required in your case.
    Why this step is here

    Assistance and negotiation run alongside the court process, not in place of it.

    What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)

    Official sources checked (1)

    • Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programsEvictions
      Establishes: Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.
      Practical limit: The published seven-day nonpayment cure rule is URLTA-specific. Ask county-serving legal aid about your lease, notice, jurisdiction and actual court date; this guide does not calculate deadlines.
      Checked on 2026-09-30

    Still unknown

    • Only the court record and qualified legal advice can establish what is required in your case.
    Back to your plan

  6. Step 6Keep a safe housing fallback of 6

    Private plan · nothing is sent

    Do this

    Prepare somewhere safe to go if prevention does not work in time.

    • Build a dated timeline from the lease, ledger, notices, receipts, messages, and court papers; label whether each detail comes from a document or a conversation.
    • Ask 211 for shelter and housing options serving your county; in Jefferson County, Coordinated Shelter Access handles shelter intake. Confirm intake and transportation before leaving.
    • Keep medicines, essential records, contact methods, and a follow-up date accessible.
    • Choose a safe contact method, name who owns the next action, and write down when to check again.
    • Keep a safe copy or reference number for each notice, submission, referral, and instruction so the work can resume without starting over.

    Move on when: the next legal action and a fallback each have a contact and check date.

    Ways to get help for this step

    • Kentucky 211 — any Kentucky county

      Any county: ask for the shelter and housing routes serving your county. A referral does not reserve a bed.

      Call 211
    • Coordinated Shelter Access — Jefferson County only

      Jefferson County only, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Confirm today's intake and a fallback.

      Call (502) 637-2337
    • If you have to leave tonight

      The shelter-tonight guide, with county-specific routes for the first night.

      View details →

    Limits and what to confirm

    • 211 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
    • 211 routes and informs. A referral does not reserve a bed, confirm transport or establish admission; confirm with the receiving service.
    • A safe destination or shelter place must be confirmed directly.
    What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)

    Official sources checked (2)

    • United Way 211Call 211 for Essential Community Services
      Establishes: 211 connects callers to local housing, food, utility, and other resource referrals.
      Practical limit: 211 provides resource navigation and referrals only; it does not distribute direct financial aid.
      Checked on 2026-09-07
    • Kentucky 211 / United WayKentucky 211
      Establishes: Kentucky 211 takes resource-navigation and referral questions from every Kentucky county, including local shelter routes.
      Practical limit: 211 routes and informs. A referral does not reserve a bed, confirm transport or establish admission; confirm with the receiving service.
      Checked on 2026-10-02

    Still unknown

    • A safe destination or shelter place must be confirmed directly.
    Back to your plan

Everything this journey covers is below: the documents involved, what commonly blocks people, and the official routes. Pick whichever situations above match yours to narrow this to an ordered plan for each one, with what to bring, what to ask, and what to do if it does not work. You can pick more than one, and you can change your mind.

Documents and what replaces them (2)Every document this journey covers, what each one proves, and the accepted substitutes.

Documents and recovery questions

Anything marked “confirmed” below has a named source and a check date. Everything else is a question worth asking, not a rule — ask before relying on it.

Notices and court papers

A legal helper needs the actual words, case number, and dates to understand the current legal stage and defense options.

If it is missing

Request a certified copy of the case file from the Circuit Court Clerk in your county, or look up your case on the Kentucky Court of Justice docket.

Confirmed accepted instead

  • Certified copy of Forcible Detainer Complaint (AOC Form 216) or summons from the Circuit Court ClerkAccepted by Kentucky Court of Justice, Office of Circuit Court Clerk
    • — Obtained directly from the Office of Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the property is located.
    • — Matches the active district court civil case number.
    AOC-216: Forcible Detainer Complaint and Summons filed in District Court.
    Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Forms Directory — checked 2026-09-12 — https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Forms/Pages/default.aspx
  • Electronic case docket printout or screenshot from the official Kentucky Court of Justice portalAccepted by Kentucky Court of Justice
    • — Must show the active case number, parties, and scheduled court hearing date.
    Kentucky Court of Justice — Case Search and Self-Help — checked 2026-09-12 — https://www.kycourts.gov/Legal-Help/Pages/default.aspx

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Forms and Court Records

Lease, payment history, and communication record

These records prove the tenancy terms, agreed rent amount, payments already cleared, and previous attempts to resolve arrears.

If it is missing

Download statements from your bank or payment platform, request receipts from your landlord, or print tenant portal records.

Confirmed accepted instead

  • Bank statements or cancelled checks showing cleared monthly rental payments to the landlordAccepted by Legal Aid Society & Kentucky District Courts
    • — Must show the account holder name, recipient/landlord name, date, and cleared dollar amount.
    Legal Aid Society of Louisville — Housing Assistance — checked 2026-09-12 — https://yourlegalaid.org/application
  • Electronic payment confirmation ledger from tenant portal or verified payment platformAccepted by Community Action Agencies & Legal Aid Programs
    • — Shows completed transaction receipts matching rental payment terms.
    Kentucky Justice Online — Eviction Defense — checked 2026-09-12 — https://www.kyjustice.org/topics/housing/evictions

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Legal Aid Society of Louisville — Eviction Defense Evidence

If something is blocking you (4)What commonly stops people here, and what has worked around it.

If something is blocking you

A deadline or hearing may be close, but the required action is unclear.

Things to try

  • Contact a qualified legal resource and the court using independently verified contact information.
  • Write down the date, time, person reached, and exact next instruction.

Assistance is pending or no funding is confirmed.

Things to try

  • Continue legal and backup-housing planning instead of treating an application as approval.

The balance, payment history, or notice details conflict.

Things to try

  • Preserve the records, ask for a written ledger or explanation, and take the conflict to qualified legal help without deciding the amount here.

The normal route stalls, gives conflicting instructions, or cannot confirm the next step.

Things to try

  • Record who said what, when, and through which channel.
  • Ask what escalation or alternate channel exists, then keep a separate fallback route open.
Where to go — official routes (7)Named offices and services, each with its own source, check date, and published limits.

Verified official route

Where Kentucky's tenant-protection law applies

Kentucky's tenant-protection law is not statewide. KRS 383.500 says the General Assembly "authorizes cities, counties and urban-county governments to enact the provisions of the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act as set forth in KRS 383.505 to 383.705," that "If adopted, these provisions shall be adopted in their entirety and without amendment," and that no other local ordinance may be enacted on the same subjects. In practice a jurisdiction either has the whole Act or has none of it, and the protections people commonly expect — deposit rules, notice-to-cure rights, repair remedies — depend on which. No One Left Outside has not verified which Kentucky cities and counties have adopted it, and does not publish a list. Ask Legal Aid Society or your city or county government whether the Act applies where you live before relying on any protection under it.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Revised Statutes — KRS 383.500

Verified official route

Search the official AOC forms by keyword or topic. If you know the form number, enter it in the keyword search.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Forms

Verified official route

Coordinated Shelter Access (Louisville)

In Louisville, the Coalition for the Homeless publishes Coordinated Shelter Access at 502-637-2337, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its directly opened contact page says seven days a week. Confirm today's intake; if unanswered, ask 211 for another local public intake contact. Do not travel to an office as if it were shelter admission. A contact or referral does not confirm a bed, accessible space, household acceptance or a ride.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-09-30 · Kentucky · official source: Coalition for the Homeless — Coordinated Shelter Access contact

Verified official route

Kentucky Court of Justice’s Legal Self-Help page links civil legal-aid resources, court forms, and self-help tools for issues including eviction. It does not identify the correct filing, interpret papers, or replace case-specific legal advice.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Self-Help

Verified official route

The Kentucky Court live forms directory lists forcible-detainer notices, complaints, judgments, and possession documents, including multiple language versions for some records. Match an exact form number; the directory is not a universal tenant-response packet.

Open the verified official source

Last checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Forms

Official details not yet verified

The routes above are the ones No One Left Outside has checked against a named source. Other Kentucky and Louisville routes for this situation have not been checked yet — confirm them with the responsible agency or provider.

No official link is published until it is verified. Ask the agency for current instructions.

Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky

Build a handoff packet for a case managerFor a worker, advocate, or outreach team preparing a referral on someone's behalf.

Case manager packet

Build a Facing Eviction or Behind on Rent handoff

Choose the sections you can review together in under five minutes. The handoff starts with the first action and ends with a fallback. No One Left Outside does not ask for or store a client name, answers, case notes, or checklist progress.

Include in the packet

First action plus 4 selected sections

Document prompts are preparation—not a verified agency checklist. UNKNOWN means “confirm this,” not “no.” A source link does not confirm eligibility or current availability.

Before the appointment ends

  • 1. Name the next official contact.
  • 2. Choose one UNKNOWN to confirm.
  • 3. Agree on a fallback if the first route fails.

Routes whose sources publish 24/7 access

These sources describe the route as available around the clock. A route may be a staffed phone, text, or chat line, a self-service form, or a local process. This is not a live check that someone will answer or that a service has capacity. Read each availability note and confirm the current route when you can.

  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    Mental-health distress, emotional distress, suicide, or substance-use crisis — for you or for someone you are worried about.

    Call or text 988988lifeline.org

    Chat at chat.988lifeline.org. Text and chat are published in Spanish, and there is a Deaf and hard-of-hearing route.

    988 publishes that it is available 24/7/365, free, and confidential.

    Source: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — checked 2026-08-05.

  • Kentucky 211

    Housing, food, utilities, transportation, and community services — when you need to know what exists near you tonight.

    Dial 211

    Or text your ZIP code to 898211.

    Kentucky 211 answers 24 hours a day.

    Source: No One Left Outside emergency contact policy (SOURCE_OF_TRUTH §11) — checked 2026-08-05.

  • VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans

    Any veteran who is homeless or at risk of it. Family, friends, and case managers may call on a veteran's behalf.

    Call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838)va.gov/homeless

    VA publishes a free, confidential online chat with a trained counselor, any time of day or night.

    VA publishes that this line is available 24/7.

    Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — National Call Center for Homeless Veterans — checked 2026-10-18.

4 more routes whose sources publish 24/7 access

  • National Domestic Violence Hotline

    Confidential support if someone is hurting you or you are helping someone who is being hurt.

    Call 1-800-799-7233thehotline.org/get-help

    Text START to 88788, or use the live chat. There are Spanish, StrongHearts, and video-phone routes.

    The Hotline publishes phone, text, and chat routes to an advocate. It also warns that internet use can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely — if this device may be watched, use a different one.

    Source: National Domestic Violence Hotline — Get Help — checked 2026-10-18.

  • Seven Counties Services crisis lines

    Local crisis support for the Louisville area, staffed at any hour. Separate lines for adults, children, addiction recovery, and developmental-disability crisis.

    Adult crisis (502) 589-4313sevencounties.org

    Child crisis (502) 589-8070. Addiction recovery (502) 583-3951. Developmental-disability crisis (502) 459-5292.

    Seven Counties Services publishes all four lines as available 24/7, 365.

    Source: Seven Counties Services — Crisis Number Directory — checked 2026-10-19.

  • Kentucky protective order

    Filing a petition for an emergency protective order, if someone is hurting you or threatening you.

    How protective orders work (Kentucky Court of Justice)

    Petitions are filed with an Office of Circuit Court Clerk; the court publishes contact details for all 120 counties.

    Kentucky courts are required to provide a 24-hour access process for orders of protection in every county. The after-hours location or procedure can vary by county. Contact the local circuit court clerk, law enforcement, or a domestic-violence program to confirm the local process. The Kentucky Court of Justice also states that there are no fees or costs for filing a petition. Whether to seek an order is your decision, and an advocate can help you think it through.

    Source: Kentucky Court of Justice — How to Obtain a Protective Order — checked 2026-08-05.

  • Legal Aid Society online application

    Eviction, housing conditions, benefits, and other civil legal problems in Jefferson County and fourteen surrounding counties.

    yourlegalaid.org/application

    Legal Aid Society publishes an online intake application available twenty-four hours a day. Its phone intake is Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Fridays — so at night the form is the way in.

    Source: Legal Aid Society — Frequently Asked Questions — checked 2026-08-05.

If someone is in immediate danger or having a medical emergency, call 911.

Things that may help today

  • Ask a legal resource what must happen next even if financial assistance is not yet available.
  • Use the Housing journey to plan shelter, prevention, and longer-term searches separately.

Related resources

These are directory leads, not endorsements or proof of eligibility. Confidential addresses are never shown in this strip.

  • Expungement Assistance

    Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy

    Needs verification

    Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.

  • Civil Legal Aid - Region 1

    Kentucky Legal Aid

    Possibly active

    Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.

  • Civil Legal Aid - Region 2

    Legal Aid Society

    Possibly active

    Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.

  • Civil Legal Aid - Region 3

    Legal Aid of the Bluegrass

    Possibly active

    Private plan in this tab. Nothing is sent.

Adds: Expungement Assistance, Civil Legal Aid - Region 1, Civil Legal Aid - Region 2. Private to this tab; nothing is sent.

View all resources for this journey

If something goes wrong

What to do when a step does not work

A closed office, a failed website or a “no” does not end the plan. Guidance written for this guide comes first. Where this guide has none, No One Left Outside’s general guidance is shown and labelled.

Show the seven situations, deadlines, county differences and what No One Left Outside does not know
If a document is missing

From this guide

  • Missing: Notices and court papers
    • Request a certified copy of the case file from the Circuit Court Clerk in your county, or look up your case on the Kentucky Court of Justice docket.
    • Officially accepted instead: Certified copy of Forcible Detainer Complaint (AOC Form 216) or summons from the Circuit Court Clerk; Electronic case docket printout or screenshot from the official Kentucky Court of Justice portal.
  • Missing: Lease, payment history, and communication record
    • Download statements from your bank or payment platform, request receipts from your landlord, or print tenant portal records.
    • Officially accepted instead: Bank statements or cancelled checks showing cleared monthly rental payments to the landlord; Electronic payment confirmation ledger from tenant portal or verified payment platform.

Kentucky 211 can look for another current route — dial 211 (Kentucky 211 answers 24/7). Call 211

If the office is closed

From this guide

  • If notice received on a weekend or holiday
    • If arriving after hours or on a weekend when offices are closed, use 24/7 crisis resources or prepare documents for the next business morning.
    • Keep the actual notice, envelope and any court papers. Ask county-serving legal aid promptly which deadline applies; do not treat a weekend or assistance request as extending it.
    • Confirm operating hours and arrival requirements before traveling the next morning.
  • If served with a summons right before court
    • If arriving after hours or on a weekend when offices are closed, use 24/7 crisis resources or prepare documents for the next business morning.
    • Attend court at the scheduled time, explain to the judge that you were just served, and ask for a continuance to obtain counsel.
    • Confirm operating hours and arrival requirements before traveling the next morning.
  • If set-out happens after hours or in freezing weather
    • If arriving after hours or on a weekend when offices are closed, use 24/7 crisis resources or prepare documents for the next business morning.
    • Call 211 from any county for the shelter or outreach route serving your county tonight. In Jefferson County, Operation White Flag has published weather triggers, but activation, sites and beds are not automatic — ask Coordinated Shelter Access during its window. For a mental-health crisis, call or text 988.
    • Confirm operating hours and arrival requirements before traveling the next morning.

Kentucky 211 can look for another current route — dial 211 (Kentucky 211 answers 24/7). Call 211

If the website or portal fails

From this guide

  • If you lack internet or phone access
    • If you lack a phone, internet, minutes, or power, locate a physical site with public phone or computer access.
    • Ask a trusted helper or a public library desk to call 211 with you. Community Action Kentucky publishes the agency serving each county; ask that agency whether it takes in-person assistance requests rather than assuming walk-in intake.
    • Request paper forms, an in-person intake, or written notices if electronic portals fail.
  • If you have no phone or internet for legal intake
    • If you lack a phone, internet, minutes, or power, locate a physical site with public phone or computer access.
    • In Legal Aid Society's 15-county area, ask its office about in-person intake. Elsewhere, ask the circuit court clerk or a public library desk to help you reach the legal-aid program serving your county.
    • Request paper forms, an in-person intake, or written notices if electronic portals fail.
  • If your phone service is cut off
    • If you lack a phone, internet, minutes, or power, locate a physical site with public phone or computer access.
    • Ask Coordinated Shelter Access at 502-637-2337 or 211 for the current public intake contact and confirm the destination before travelling. No walk-in shelter admission or protected address is established here.
    • Request paper forms, an in-person intake, or written notices if electronic portals fail.

Kentucky 211 can look for another current route — dial 211 (Kentucky 211 answers 24/7). Call 211

If the phone is disconnected or nobody answers

From this guide

  • If rent assistance application is delayed
    • Record the source, date, contact channel, reference number, and exact response.
    • Ask the assistance agency for an official pledge or application letter to give your landlord.
    • Set a named owner and next check for each route that stays open.
  • If you lack internet or phone access
    • If you lack a phone, internet, minutes, or power, locate a physical site with public phone or computer access.
    • Ask a trusted helper or a public library desk to call 211 with you. Community Action Kentucky publishes the agency serving each county; ask that agency whether it takes in-person assistance requests rather than assuming walk-in intake.
    • Request paper forms, an in-person intake, or written notices if electronic portals fail.
  • If Legal Aid has not answered before your court date
    • Record the source, date, contact channel, reference number, and exact response.
    • Arrive at the courthouse 30 minutes early and ask the clerk whether any legal-aid or self-help assistance is available there that day; do not assume it is.
    • Set a named owner and next check for each route that stays open.
  • If you have no phone or internet for legal intake
    • If you lack a phone, internet, minutes, or power, locate a physical site with public phone or computer access.
    • In Legal Aid Society's 15-county area, ask its office about in-person intake. Elsewhere, ask the circuit court clerk or a public library desk to help you reach the legal-aid program serving your county.
    • Request paper forms, an in-person intake, or written notices if electronic portals fail.

Kentucky 211 can look for another current route — dial 211 (Kentucky 211 answers 24/7). Call 211

If the request is denied

No One Left Outside general guidance — not specific to this guide and not an official rule

  • Ask for the decision in writing, with the reason and how to ask for a review.
  • Write down the date you got the decision; review deadlines can be short.
  • A denial for one program does not decide others. Ask where else to try.

Kentucky 211 can look for another current route — dial 211 (Kentucky 211 answers 24/7). Call 211

If the service is not accessible

No One Left Outside general guidance — not specific to this guide and not an official rule

  • You can ask for help to use the service: an interpreter, large print, a reader, a different way to apply, or someone to come with you.
  • Ask the office what accommodations they offer, and write down who you asked.

Kentucky 211 can look for another current route — dial 211 (Kentucky 211 answers 24/7). Call 211

If availability is unknown

From this guide

  • A deadline or hearing may be close, but the required action is unclear.
    • Contact a qualified legal resource and the court using independently verified contact information.
    • Write down the date, time, person reached, and exact next instruction.
  • Assistance is pending or no funding is confirmed.
    • Continue legal and backup-housing planning instead of treating an application as approval.

Kentucky 211 can look for another current route — dial 211 (Kentucky 211 answers 24/7). Call 211

Deadlines

  • If you received a notice or letter, the date on that notice controls. Keep it with you.
  • Write down the date you received any decision or request for more information.
  • No One Left Outside does not track individual deadlines and does not send reminders.

County differences

  • Offices, hours and local help can differ by county. Use the office that serves the county where the person lives.
  • If you are not sure which office serves an address, ask the agency or Kentucky 211.
  • Some routes in this guide are for Louisville or Jefferson County. Other counties may use different offices.

What No One Left Outside does not know

  • This page does not calculate your deadline or determine which local rules govern.
  • Representation, response time for your case, and any defense remain UNKNOWN.
  • A disputed amount or payment does not establish that a case is dismissed.
  • Funding, eligibility, processing time, and a hold on eviction are UNKNOWN.
  • Only the court record and qualified legal advice can establish what is required in your case.
  • A safe destination or shelter place must be confirmed directly.
  • Whether an office is open today, or how long the wait is
  • Whether a program has openings right now
  • Whether a particular person qualifies — only the agency or provider decides
Before you travelA final check of documents, opening hours, and the receiving contact.

Avoid a wasted trip

  1. 1.Recheck the location, hours, appointment rules, and current document instructions before leaving.
  2. 2.Keep originals and copies organized, and ask before handing over the only copy you have.
  3. 3.At the counter, explain what is missing and ask what replacement or workaround evidence can be reviewed.
  4. 4.Ask what was received, what is still missing, how status can be checked, and what happens if the normal route fails.
  5. 5.Keep a safe copy, receipt, confirmation, or reference number for anything you submit.

Ask before leaving the counter: “Is there anything else that could prevent this application from being approved today?”

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral

Preparation and practice guidanceGeneral advice that applies to most appointments and calls, not only to this journey.

Practitioner and helper guidance

Preparation ideas for the person and anyone helping

  • Start from the document, not the person’s memory of the document.

    Notice type, case status, and dates are legal facts that should not be inferred.

  • Track legal help, rental assistance, and backup housing as separate workstreams.

    A delay or denial in one route should not erase the next action in another.

  • Preserve the source of every date, balance, and required action.

    Legal meaning belongs to qualified help; a clean source timeline prevents memory or an intake summary from becoming the controlling record.

  • Never advise a client to skip an eviction court hearing because assistance is pending.

    Kentucky district courts enter immediate default judgments for possession against tenants who do not appear when their case is called.

  • Check whether the rental property has federally backed financing under the CARES Act 30-day notice requirement.

    Properties with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or HUD mortgages require a 30-day notice before eviction filing.

  • Separate documents, client statements, agency instructions, and unconfirmed assumptions in the record.

    Clear labels let the next helper reuse what is known without turning an inference into a fact.

  • End each handoff with a named owner, safe contact method, next check date, and fallback.

    A referral is easier to resume when responsibility and the failed-route response are visible.

Practitioner guidance from field experience — not agency policy. Checked 2026-08-01 · Jurisdiction-neutral.

Prevention work and backup planning

This comparison does not recommend one option.

Legal and prevention review

Documents
Ask what information this route currently requires.
Cost
Unknown — confirm before choosing this route.
When it may matter
Use this when rent, a notice, or a court process may still be addressed.
When it may not
Do not use it when it creates a safety or care risk.

Backup housing plan

Documents
Ask what information this route currently requires.
Cost
Unknown — confirm before choosing this route.
When it may matter
Use this when immediate safety or a place to stay also needs attention.
When it may not
Do not assume this route is available or appropriate.

Work on both when needed; an application or referral is not a legal result or housing placement.

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral

Appointment strategy

  1. 1.Ask whether an appointment is required before you travel.
  2. 2.Ask how walk-ins are handled and whether arriving early changes the process.
  3. 3.Confirm the location, hours, and documents again on the day you plan to go.
  4. 4.Ask what safe contact method will be used for changes, cancellations, or follow-up.
  5. 5.Before ending, ask who to contact and what to do if the appointment or referral cannot proceed.

Scheduling links and phone numbers are pending verification.

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral

Day of the appointment or visit

At the office

  1. 1.Arrive early when practical, especially if you are walking in.
  2. 2.Ask for a realistic wait estimate.
  3. 3.Ask whether the office uses text messages, callbacks, or another queue-notification system.
  4. 4.Ask whether you can leave briefly and return without losing your place.
  5. 5.Prepare for a potentially long day.
  6. 6.Write down the name or department that gave each instruction, the date, and the next action.

Bring for the wait

  • A charger
  • Water and snacks where permitted
  • Medications you may need during the wait
  • All paperwork together in one folder
  • Something to do while you wait
  • A safe way to take notes and store confirmation or reference numbers

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral

What No One Left Outside cannot promise

  • No One Left Outside does not decide eligibility.
  • No One Left Outside does not submit applications, renewals, appeals, or documents.
  • No One Left Outside cannot guarantee approval, a timeline, an appointment, or a fee waiver.
  • No One Left Outside is not a legal or benefits advisor.
  • No One Left Outside is not affiliated with any agency named on a journey page.
  • This guide does not make a legal, medical, safety, eligibility, or discharge decision.
  • A search result does not confirm funding, capacity, acceptance, or availability.

What requires an agency or provider

  • The legal meaning of a notice, deadline, filing, hearing, or order
  • Rental-assistance eligibility, funding, documentation, and landlord participation
  • Current shelter, prevention, mediation, and representation availability

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Guidance provenance

Day 1 uses universal preparation guidance and clearly labeled field practice. Kentucky-specific official details remain pending until a named source and check date are recorded.

Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-08-01 · Jurisdiction-neutral

Journey definition needs-review; checked 2026-08-01. Next review due 2026-11-05. Needs Kentucky legal verification for notice and court rules; needs Louisville verification for legal intake, rental-assistance funding, landlord participation, mediation, and shelter practices.

Model-assisted research is planning input only, and a person writes and reviews every published block. No One Left Outside operating doctrine and reviewed SOP or manual material inform only jurisdiction-neutral preparation prompts, not agency rules or provider practices. Supported official facts require a named dated source; conditional claims remain questions to confirm; inferred workflow is nonbinding preparation guidance; case-manager recommendations are labeled practice guidance; Kentucky rules and Louisville provider practices remain pending where identified.