that publicizing their locations would make them less effective at fighting crime.

As we've reported many times and discussed on our public affairs programs, Kentucky is dealing with a major housing shortage.

The state needs more than 200,000 new units to keep up with demand.

A Henderson Republican has an idea to bring local governments and housing developers together to make homes more affordable and get new construction up and running.

Our Emily Sisk explains as we continue our legislative update.

[MUSIC] >> Senate Majority Caucus Chair Robby Mills says if more housing developments don't soon get off the ground, Kentucky's housing shortage could rise to almost 300,000 units over the next five years.

Today, Mills proposed his housing legislation to the Senate's State and Local Government Committee.

Senate Bill nine would do two things.

It establishes a residential infrastructure development district, where local governments can issue bonds to pay for costs like roads, utilities and other infrastructure.

Developers would pay that back over time rather than footing the bill up front.

Senate Bill nine also establishes housing development districts, where participating local governments can award annual housing incentives to developers for either 7 or 15 years.

Mills said these initiatives should encourage developers to get off the sidelines and start construction.

>> These tools, if used properly, could make more residential development lots available across the state, expediting building the building process and make a home more affordable along the way.

>> Mills emphasized that as part of Senate Bill nine, local governments would partner with developers and municipalities could tailor developments to what their community needs.

>> They could require certain projects to be workforce housing, certain projects to be affordable, first time home buyers homes, or even more denser housing units like condos, townhouses and multi-family homes.

>> The Henderson Republican also pointed out that Senate Bill nine would not add any cost to the state budget, as it would put the fiscal responsibility on local governments.

Senator Lindsey Tichenor raised a question about those finances.

>> It may not directly in this bill require an allocation, but it might in the long run.

If local governments are heavily funding or needing funding for these infrastructure projects, would that be an accurate assessment?

>> No not really.

So so the so the the infrastructure we're talking about, the bonds will actually pay be paid from that district.

So no one outside of that district will be paying for those.

>> Senate minority whip.

Cassie Chambers Armstrong, a Louisville Democrat, asked how exactly this legislation would make homes more affordable.

>> I'm not seeing anything in this legislation as I'm reading it, and like you said, it's very dense.

That would require the homes built under this, that a certain percentage of them be legally classified as affordable.

>> My thought process here was to give local governments as much control over this, this process.

So we're not saying do this, do that.

We're letting the the local officials make that decision.

>> Mills said it's his belief that as the housing supply goes up, the cost of homes will go down.

He also said there's plenty more housing legislation to come during this legislative session.

Senate Bill nine passed the State and Local Governments committee and now heads to the Senate floor for