Phelps Senior Housing is officially open for business following the ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremonies held on Monday, April 17, 2006, that were attended by local dignitaries and representatives from HUD, Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC), and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati (FHLB).

Left to Right: Hilman Dotson, District 5 Magistrate; Kelsey Friend, District Judge; Marilyn Stober, Project Manager, Kentucky Housing Corporation; Ben Cook, Director, Kentucky Housing Corporation; Bill Deskins, Judge Executive; Charles Shive, HUD Director.Louisville Multifamily Program Center; Chris Castle, Citizens National Bank, Paintsville, Kentucky; Sandy Runyon, Executive Director, Mountain Housing Corporation; Fuzzy Kaze, County Sheriff; Winston Preston, Van Cook Construction; Janice Hatfield, Phelps Senior Homes board member; Eric Ratliff, Housing Planner, Big Sandy Area Development District.

This newly constructed Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly project consists of 24 one-bedroom units and a two-bedroom manager's unit. Financial support included competitive HUD Capital Advance funding of over $1.8 million and additional funding of $216,000 from KHC and $80,000 from the FHLB.

Nestled in a valley in the Appalachian Mountains, this project provides much-needed housing for seniors in the Phelps, Freeburn, and Belfry areas of rural Kentucky. The location is in the heart of coal country where large coal trucks can be seen hauling coal out of the mines to the coal trains throughout the day. The Tug Fork Creek flows past the site, and following the early morning storm on the day of the ribbon cutting, the creek became a rapidly moving body of water; one could see how flooding occurs so easily in the valley.

Since building sites that are not flood prone are very nearly impossible to find in this area, Mountain Housing Corporation (MHC) and the Big Sandy Area Development District obtained the donated site through a creative collaboration with the Pike County Fiscal Court and the Corps of Engineers. They then developed a successful project proposal that included the cost of extensive fill work in order to elevate the project out of the flood zone. So the new residents of Phelps Senior Housing can feel assured that they are living in a safe, new home.

Phelps Senior Citizen Center

An additional feature of the location is that it is near the Phelps Senior Citizen Center, which has an active social calendar of events for area seniors as well as several recreational amenities. The residents also have access to a shuttle service operated by the Sandy Valley Transportation Services that provides transportation to and from doctors or other necessary appointments in larger metropolitan areas for a nominal fee that is usually covered by Medicare.