Louisville Metro is suing a non-profit agency after the organization violated its grant agreement with the city by letting sex offenders reside in its rented complexes.

Earlier this year Metro Councilman Rick Blackwell, D-12, became aware that several apartments along Hackel Drive were housing registered sex offenders. Blackwell asked the Jefferson County Attorney’s office to look into possible housing violations in late August. It was discovered that NexStep to Independence, Inc., which had been given a $25,000 grant from Metro Government to be used for salaries, operating expenses and assistance to clients, was housing sex offenders inappropriately. 

Founded by Georgetta Duncan and Gregory Stebbins of Prospect, NexStep is a nonprofit angency setup to help ex-convicts transition back into society by renting them apartments and hooking them up with social service programs.

The financial assistance to clients was to be used for rent, personal items, utilities and transportation. Under the terms of the grant agreement potential clients for NexStep would be screened and could not have a prior history of violent crimes, a history of sexual offenses, or any psychiatric problems.
“NexStep is clearly violating the terms of their grant agreement,” Blackwell says.  “It is my hope that when this money is returned these residents will have to find more appropriate places to live.”

After learning of the grant violations, the County Attorney’s Office sent a letter to the NexStep program declaring all monies by returned by October 15th. NexStep has not yet responded.

“Since NexStep has not complied with our request, we filed a lawsuit against them last Friday,” Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell says.