WARREN COUNTY, Kentucky — Governor Andy Beshear announced Thursday that millions of dollars will go toward building 126 homes in a Kentucky community devastated by tornadoes nearly three years ago.
The governor said $9,562,376 is going toward building 126 affordable single-family homes and two duplexes in Warren County, predominantly in Bowling Green. The funding comes from Kentucky’s 2021 Disaster Recovery Program, which is administered by Kentucky’s Department for Local Government.
“Today marks another milestone in our Western Kentucky tornado recovery efforts,” Beshear said. “Housing has remained a top priority in those efforts, and today we’re taking a major step toward getting more Kentuckians into permanent housing. We promised to be there for the long haul, and we’re keeping our promise.”
Bowling Green, partnering with Habitat for Humanity Bowling Green/Warren County, is expected to use $5 million to build 116 single-family homes to be sold to income-eligible tornado survivors. The development will be located at 0 Russellville Rd. in Bowling Green.
“We are very excited about this new grant announcement of $5 million to Habitat for Humanity, leading to affordable homes in our community,” Bowling Green Mayor Todd Alcott said. “More importantly, it’s going to lead to homeownership. The aftermath of the tornado is in our past, but our future is bright.”
The Warren County Fiscal Court, partnering with Live the Dream Development Inc., is expected to use $4,562,376 to build 10 single-family homes and two duplexes for income-eligible tornado survivors. The homes will be for homeownership and the duplexes will be for rental housing. The development will be located at 247 Double Springs Rd., right outside of Bowling Green.
“Attainable housing is one of our greatest needs, and this will help us,” Warren County Deputy Judge/Executive Bryan Downing said “We thank the Department for Local Government, this program, and Governor, you and your team, for allowing this to happen.”
Last month, Gov. Beshear, in partnership with the Kentucky Housing Corporation, announced $223 million will go toward building 953 rental units in tornado-impacted counties. This marked the largest single housing announcement in the history of the Kentucky Housing Corporation and the Department for Local Government.
More than $21.6 million has been committed from the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund to construct or repair 300 homes. To date, more than 200 homes have been built, are under construction or have been approved for construction to begin.
So far, the fund has raised over $52.3 million, with donations from over 150,000 individuals and businesses. In addition to building homes, the money raised helped pay funeral expenses for the families of the deceased and provided assistance to survivors and local farmers.
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