Low-Income Residents Call Newly Revitalized Apartment Complex Home

Celebrating the Transformation that HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration Program Offers

Newly renovated RAD project, Centre Meadows Apartments, in Lexington, Kentucky.

New Centre Meadows Apartments resident Morgan McCutchen shares her story with Lourdes Castro Ramirez, HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing at the ceremony.

The bright, sunny day was much like the bright rays of hope that filled the residents at the grand opening of the newly revitalized Centre Meadows Apartments in Lexington, Kentucky. Many residents, as well as federal, state, and local dignitaries attended and spoke at the celebratory event of the old being transformed into the new.

The former Pimlico Apartments, originally built in the 1970s and acquired by the Lexington Housing Authority soon thereafter, was approved for HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program and underwent a $31 million revitalization to convert the old public housing site into the new Centre Meadows Apartments. Now, more than 200 individuals and families can enjoy the amenities of the new, energy-efficient apartments.

"I am very pleased that we supported Lexington's redevelopment through our RAD Program which enables communities to preserve, renovate, and create new housing, using creative, innovative public-private partnerships," said HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Lourdes Castro Ramírez. "Building and reinvesting in communities like the one here in Lexington is what makes all of our work worthwhile."

"To our clients, we have always committed that we will manage, build and renovate apartments that they can be proud of and call home; free of the stigma that 'we live in the projects'," said Lexington Housing Authority Executive Director Austin Simms. At the grand opening, resident Morgan McCutchen spoke about the opportunities that have opened up for her as a new tenant of the community. With access to stable, affordable housing, she was able to enroll at the University of Kentucky, where she is majoring in Elementary Education and is set to graduate next year.

"I like the fact that I don't fit the stereotype of the people that supposedly apply for public housing," said McCutchen. "I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to raise my 4-year-old daughter in a place where I feel comfortable letting her play outside, letting her get to know the other kids, and then I'm close enough to campus that I can get those rip and runs and do everything I need to do. I'm thankful for everyone that had their hand in this and who think enough of people like me to make this happen."

The HUD RAD program offers a financing tool, which enables the leveraging of federal funds to enable local, state, and private funding for reconstructions. In Lexington, local partners financed $15 million, state partners contributed $1 million, and federal partners provided $15 million - bringing the total reinvestment in Centre Meadows to $31 million.

Learn more about RAD and other similar renovations on HUD's website.

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