Family Promise of Northern Kentucky

“Building Communities, and Strengthening Lives”

Leaving an emergency shelter feels like a finish line. Then a landlord quotes the first month’s rent after the shelter stay plus a security deposit, and the total is at least double the monthly rent, due before anyone hands over a key. This guide breaks down the Northern Kentucky security deposit and the rest of that bill in Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties and shows how families, volunteers, and congregations can close the gap.

Why Housing Still Costs Money After 90 Days

Family Promise of Northern Kentucky (Family Promise NKY) gives families with children emergency shelter for up to 90 days. The program hosts four families, up to 14 people, at a time, and local congregations take turns hosting them week by week. That covers beds, meals, and a safe place to regroup. It does not cover a security deposit.

Most families arrive after an eviction, a job loss, or a rent increase they could not absorb. The root cause is a shortage of affordable housing, and NKY affordable housing costs leave little room to save. Ninety days of steady work helps, yet a landlord still wants cash on signing day.

The Typical NKY Move-In Bill

Four charges usually land at once:

Cost	What to expect
First month’s rent	Due at signing. Some landlords prorate it when you move in mid-month.
Security deposit	Kentucky sets no statewide cap on the amount. One month’s rent is a common ask.
Utility start-up	Electric and gas through Duke Energy Kentucky can carry a deposit of up to two-twelfths of the estimated annual bill, returned after a year of on-time payments. Water and sewer vary by address.
Application and pet fees	Charged per adult or per pet. Often nonrefundable.

For illustration, a $1,100 apartment means $2,200 due at signing before utilities and fees. Rents differ from river cities such as Newport and Covington to suburban Boone County, so a family’s total depends on where it signs. The shelter’s Day Center sits at 336 West 9th Street in Newport, but house hunting runs across all three counties.

How Families Close the Gap

No single source covers a full move-in bill, so families usually combine several:

• Savings. Whatever a household sets aside during the stay goes to the deposit first.
• Church and host network. Ask whether a congregation can help with the deposit or furnish the apartment.
• Local partners. Welcome House, Brighton Center, and Community Action Kentucky offer housing help in the region. Funding changes, so call before counting on it.
• The landlord. Ask for a smaller deposit or a split into two payments. Some landlords agree if the first paycheck is close.

Some families also consider a short personal loan to bridge the deposit. It can work when a lease is ready and pay is days away, but it adds a monthly payment to a tight budget. Compare the annual percentage rate (APR) at a credit union first, skip payday-style products, and borrow only what the deposit requires.

Volunteers who help a family sign a lease should pay the landlord directly and ask for a written receipt. Before the deposit changes hands, get a signed move-in condition list. Where Kentucky’s Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies, the landlord must provide a list of existing damage and keep the deposit in a separate account. Whether it applies depends on the city or county, so ask the landlord in writing.

What to Ask the Case Manager That Week

Each week, families meet with a case manager to work on housing and employment. Bring these questions:

• What deposit does each landlord on my list require?
• Does an unpaid utility bill from my old address block new service?
• When is my first payday, and does it land before the lease start date?
• Which partner agencies can I apply to now, and what paperwork do they need?
• Which landlords have worked with program families before?

A lease signed with every cost mapped out holds up better than one signed in a rush.