New affordable housing for medically vulnerable to open later this year in Lexington

It was 15 years ago that Fred Worsham and his mother Carol Worsham first began talking about building affordable housing for people living with HIV and AIDS.

“I believe we were in a pool, at our house, and we decided that we needed to build affordable housing for people living with HIV/AIDS,” said Fred Worsham, whose family owns Winterwood, a Lexington-based construction and real estate company that focuses on affordable housing.

In 2017, the Worsham family approached AVOL Kentucky with an ambitious plan to do just that.

On Tuesday, AVOL Kentucky and Winterwood celebrated the groundbreaking of a new $4.2 million affordable housing apartment complex for the medically vulnerable, including those living with HIV and AIDS.

Construction started in February on the four-building campus off of Versailles Road that will include three two-story buildings and a one-story building. Some of the 26 one-bedroom apartments will hopefully be open by late 2021, officials said Tuesday. It will also serve as the new office of AVOL Kentucky, which will be able to provide services to people living at Stonewall Terrace. The campus will also have meeting and community rooms.

The Stonewall Terrace project is funded through a federal low-income housing tax credit program through the Kentucky Housing Corporation and a $250,000 forgivable loan from the city’s affordable housing program and $346,591 in federal funds.

It is believed to be the first newly constructed affordable housing apartment complex to serve low-income, medically vulnerable adults in Kentucky and in Fayette County.

“The symbolism of turning that dirt today is a renewed hope,” said Jon Parker, the executive director of AVOL Kentucky, which has served the HIV/AIDS community through a variety of different programs for 30 years.

Need for affordable housing grows

It’s a much-needed addition as Fayette County and the state face an affordable housing crisis, according to statistics and housing advocates.

Roughly 75,000 affordable housing units are needed in Kentucky. Twenty-one percent of Kentucky households spend more than 50 percent of their total income on rent and utilities, said Tiffany Marthaler, executive director of the Kentucky Affordable Housing Coalition.

“These numbers are only getting worse as families struggle to retain employment, make rent payments and pay bills,” Marthaler said during Tuesday’s groundbreaking. “Affordable housing is critical infrastructure in any thriving community.”

In Fayette County, the number of people paying more than 50 percent of their total income on rent and utilities grew from 8,733 in 2005 to 12,090 in 2010, according to statistics.

More recent statistics are not available but a booming real estate market has likely only accelerated Fayette County’s affordable housing needs, local housing advocates say.

“We believe that access to affordable housing is vital to the well-being of people living in our city and we look forward to continuing this work through the Stonewall Terrace Development,” said Zach Worsham, the vice president of Winterwood.

Medically vulnerable populations served by Stonewall Terrace will include the economically disadvantaged, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ individuals, the elderly, homeless, those with HIV/AIDS, and those with other chronic health conditions, including severe mental illness and substance use disorders.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton said it’s apt the project is named Stonewall Terrace. The LGBTQ movement started in 1969 after the raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City.

“It’s just so appropriate that this is the name,” Gorton said. “Today’s groundbreaking starts another project that will bring the community together.”

Parker said they hope some of the units will be open in late 2021 with much of the complex likely to be completed in early 2022. Parker said the group anticipates taking applications sometime this summer. To get on the list to be notified when applications will be accepted email jon@avolky.org or continue to monitor AVOL’s website at avolky.org.