LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington officially opened five new affordable townhomes on East Sixth Street on Monday.
According to the Mayor's Office, the city’s Affordable Housing Fund has invested $47 million in the construction and preservation of 3,487 units since 2014. The $47 million investment has leveraged another $431 million from private and other public resources.
“We have worked with the Lexington Housing Authority for many years to provide a wide variety of housing options for people who have varying income levels,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “These units offer supportive wrap-around services provided by the Housing Authority to support people who need help.”
"I think really on a roll here with our affordable housing," Gorton told LEX 18 News. "This particular project - the beauty of it is that the people who will be in these homes either have been homeless or are on the verge of being homeless. This is a great thing."
Michael Black and Sheila Spiller and their families are two of the recipients of the new affordable townhomes. Both families have struggled in recent years.
"It's been kind of rough," said Black. "We've been in hotels - in and out of hotels - and we moved to a house I thought was good, but it was full of rodents, plumbing issues."
So, both families are grateful to have good, affordable housing.
"It's going to be, definitely, a good start," said Spiller. "Especially for our daughter, somewhere stable. It's a brand new beginning."
The goal is to keep building affordable housing, according to the Mayor. She believes Lexington's recent budget change will help make that happen because for the first time ever, 1% of Lexington's revenue will go directly to affordable housing.
"This is a big deal," said Gorton. "In the past, we put about $2 million a year, but it wasn't mandated. So, this way, it's there. It'll be there every year. The number will vary because...they look at the revenue from the last year and they take one percent - so, presumably, it will go up."
