Construction has begun on the Eastern Scholar House.
Prioritizing services for single parents who have made a commitment to furthering education, the Scholar House provides more than just housing. Residents will have access to an on-site, certified child development facility for up to 80 children, case management services, life skills workshops and nearby services and amenities on EKU’s Richmond campus.
The Eastern Scholar House will increase self-sufficiency and combat generational poverty by removing some of the barriers to affordable housing and child care costs that are an impediment to increased education, job attainment, and independence.
The Eastern Scholar House will be located at the 800 Brockton area near the University’s Fitness and Wellness Center. Residents receive case management, workshops and access to various programs related to parenting skills, management of family resources, nutrition, work skills, problem solving and job search techniques. Most of the services are free. Housing and childcare costs are based on income.
To participate in the Scholar House educational program, participants must be at least 18 years of age, be eligible for a Housing Choice Voucher, and be full-time students.
The Eastern Scholar House is being made possible by several organizations:
· Kentucky Housing Corporation is the primary funder and has allocated Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Affordable Housing Trust Fund monies, representing $8.4 million in the project.
· Kentucky River Foothills Development Council Inc. (KRFDC) is the driving force behind the Eastern Scholar House and is managing and operating the project.
· Fahe has provided assistance in obtaining funding from Low Income Housing Tax Credits, Community Development Block Grant and the Federal Home Loan Bank. It is also assisting in project management, and providing a $6 million construction loan.
· EKU is providing a long-term land lease for the property as well as access to services and amenities.
· The City of Richmond provided pass-through grant funds to KRFDC and will provide rental assistance for the units.
· The Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing made a $7.5 million investment through the purchase of the tax credits.
Officials believe the Eastern Scholar House will build strong families by providing the support they need while they seek improvement through services and education, and will play a key role as a pathway out of poverty.
About Kentucky River Foothills Development Council Inc.
As a Community Action Agency, Kentucky River Foothills Development Council Inc. (www.foothillscap.org) is committed to the promise of helping people and changing lives. KRFDC has a long history of community improvement and promoting self-sufficiency among the area’s low-income population. KRFDC embraces a philosophy of needs-based strategies and family-based services leading to family self-sufficiency and economic self-reliance. The agency provides a comprehensive range of services for families and individuals to fulfill its mission of developing community resources “so that all persons may have lives of dignity, responsibility and opportunity.”