Composite story
College Court condo tenants say evictions and broken leases threaten displacement
Councilman JP Lyninger joined the College Court Tenant Council as Simmons College of Kentucky moves Old Louisville-area condos toward student housing.
On Aug. 24, 2026, Councilman JP Lyninger (D-6) stood with the College Court Tenant Council in Louisville’s Limerick neighborhood. Tenants say Simmons College of Kentucky’s February purchase, missing leases, and recent evictions put longtime residents at risk as units are converted to student housing. They want no evictions without just cause, six months’ notice, and moving costs covered. Simmons and WDRB describe a $2.5 million John Schnatter gift to buy and renovate vacant College Court condos; tenants and advocates say occupied homes are in play. Manager Bellman Properties said it will work with tenants it represents.
Disputed facts
None yet.
Disputed opinions
None yet.
Councilman Lyninger addresses tenant displacement at College Court Condos
24 Aug 2026
Facts
Lyninger and tenants called for immediate action to protect current residents.
Tenants and advocates said the conversion would displace Black, poor, and working-class residents, including elders, people with disabilities, families, and single parents.
Many residents still have not received leases.
Tenants said residents are now beginning to face eviction.
Bellman was hired to bring the property into compliance with state law.
Tenants said those commitments have not been fulfilled.
The Tenant Council said residents secured five commitments, including leases by May 31.
They said vacant units are being shown to prospective students expected this fall.
Some maintenance issues have been resolved.
They said proposed rents would be above fair-market rates and unaffordable for many current residents.
Lyninger called on them to prevent further displacement of current residents.
Lyninger called on them to provide tenants with leases.
Opinion
They said those rents could accelerate displacement and raise nearby housing costs.
College Court tenants push for protections as Simmons plans student housing
24 Aug 2026
Facts
Tenants include families, seniors, and people with disabilities.
Lyninger said the uncertainty is putting residents in a difficult position.
Bellman owns some of the College Court units.
Bellman said it will work with the tenants it represents at College Court.
Housing advocates said rising costs could put longtime residents at greater risk of displacement.
Bellamy said 68 percent of those renters can only afford rents at or below 50 percent of area median income.
PUSH Louisville said 42 percent of households in the area live paycheck to paycheck.
The tenant council hoped to meet again with the property manager about its demands.
Opinion
Homeowner Bernadine Unseld said housing is a foundation and nothing can be established without it.
Unseld said owners and renters are standing together for a safe, affordable community.
Bellamy said there needs to be a just transition, and that advocates want to build with anyone at College Court.
Bellamy said changes at College Court should involve the people who already live there.
Tenants said they are continuing to push for protections.
College Court Tenant Council calls for housing protections
22 Mar 2026
Facts
The complex is in Limerick, a historically Black Louisville neighborhood.
Residents chanted that they are staying.
At a tenant-council press conference, residents demanded housing protections.
Bellamy said residents deserve to know what is happening, who is responsible, and whether they can remain.
Bellamy said many residents do not know who to pay rent to.
College Court was originally built in 1936.
Simmons said the new units would help it keep up with enrollment growth.
Kelvin Brooks said his 96-year-old mother has lived at College Court for more than 40 years.
Simmons said the units would also meet demand for safe, affordable housing within walking distance of campus.
Brooks said most neighbors are Black citizens, like his mother, and many are disabled.
Brooks said they long believed helping his mother pay bills and keep the home would let her stay.
The council was sending Simmons a list of demands.
They hoped to meet Simmons representatives within two weeks.
Simmons issued a statement in response to the tenant council’s letter.
Opinion
Longtime residents said the conversion is not that simple.
Brooks said some resident parents do their best to raise kids and keep a roof over their heads.
Brooks said their home and community matter and they intend to make their voices heard.
Simmons College of Kentucky receives $2.5M gift for campus expansion
3 Mar 2026
Facts
No unique facts.
Opinion
WDRB described the gift as a major campus boost.
WDRB said the donation would fuel growth and increase student opportunities.
Simmons Receives $2.5 Million Commitment from Papa John’s Founder, John Schnatter
3 Mar 2026
Facts
Simmons said the gift is one of the largest private contributions in its recent history.
Simmons is Louisville’s only historically Black college.
Simmons said it continues to expand operations, enrollment, and its urban-core role.
Simmons said the $2.5 million gift will help it meet higher-education demand and expand regional impact.
Simmons said it continues to invest in facilities, faculty, and student resources.
Opinion
Cosby said he is deeply grateful to Schnatter for supporting Simmons’s mission.
Cosby said education changes lives, strengthens families, and builds stronger communities.
Cosby said Simmons receives the gift with humility and a commitment to expanding opportunity for the next generation.
Schnatter said it is a privilege to share the blessings he has received.
Schnatter said he is proud to stand with Cosby, Samuel Tolbert, and Charles Elliott.