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.
All homes built in 2022 by Partnership Housing have remained safe after the February 2025 floods. In response to this latest flooding, the organization has taken on two new projects to assist affected families.
One household had their home flooded twice—in 2021 and again in February 2025. With very limited income and no safe housing options, a newly constructed, energy-efficient home (HERS rating 48) has been secured. The total cost to build the home, including appliances, property, and infrastructure, was $200,000, with labor donated and $135,000 funded by other partners. With a small loan, a $35,000 gap remains, which is being requested from Lutheran Disaster Response to complete the project.
This home will provide a safe, secure, and energy-efficient place to live, protecting the household from future flood events and allowing them to remain in the community they love.
