Partnership Housing: Providing Safe, Affordable Homes in Owsley County, KY
Partnership Housing is the only organization of its kind in Owsley County, Kentucky. Since its founding in 2005, it has worked to increase access to safe, affordable, quality housing for low- to moderate-income residents. Owsley County faces unique challenges, including high property taxes, high transportation costs for building materials, and high utility rates, making it difficult for residents to secure suitable housing. With the state reclaiming Section 8 housing vouchers, Partnership Housing’s work is more critical than ever.
Over the past decade, Partnership Housing has grown to support 34 rental units, 60 new homes, and 500 rehabilitation projects, with 17 duplexes currently under construction. The Indiana-Kentucky Synod began partnering with them in 2022 after record flooding in Eastern Kentucky, funding materials to relocate five families out of the floodplain into safe and secure homes.
Most recently the IK Synod has responded (in partnership with Lutheran Disaster Response) to fund two additional Partnership Housing projects stemming from the record flooding in Kentucky that occurred in the morning hours of February 16th, 2025. The first survivor had their home previously flooded in 2021. With very limited income and no safe housing options, a newly constructed Partnership Housing home build was secured for this client. This home build, aligning with other partnership housing projects, was built at a highly energy efficient HERS rating of 48.
The second survivor's home was rendered a total loss after the flood. This working couple, who have experienced several rare health conditions, were able to secure ownership of property outside of the floodplain. The work on their new home began and, in collaboration with other funding partners, we were able to help this couple complete their rebuild.
Our work with Partnership Housing in Owsley and the surrounding counties continues, as we work in collaboration to support their capacity to provide safe, secure, and energy-efficient places for survivors of disaster to live, protecting these households from future flood events and allowing them to remain in the community they love.
The slideshow below shows progress on some projects Partnership Housing is working on.
