The
Scholar House is a program of the
Kentucky Housing Corporation, and is designed to help out low-income families as parents earn post-secondary degrees. The goal is for people to leave the program able to live free of public assistance, including housing.
NKY’s Scholar House, which will be located at 450 W. Sixth St. in Newport, is modeled after ones in Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville, Owensboro, Paducah and Pikeville. The $8.3 million project broke ground in August, and the plan is to have residents moving in by next August.
The project is the redevelopment of a parcel of land that houses a community center, which will be connected to the Scholar House’s education center. Eight apartment buildings will each house six, two- and three-bedroom apartments, for a total of 48. Programming at the Scholar House will include a child development center, and the space and staffing for life skills classes.
“The Scholar House’s main emphasis is on the education program, but it will also provide housing and childcare,” says Tammy Weidinger, CEO of the
Brighton Center. “We want to be supporting each student throughout their educational endeavors, and if they run into a problem, we want to be there to help them work through it.”
The Brighton Center will manage the Scholar House, as well as provide the education programs, run the child development center and provide case management and life skills workshops for parents.
“We want to help create a community of learning and support for people who are going through the same experience,” Weidinger says. “It’s hard to be a parent and go to school full-time. There will be enough support to help parents work through that, and they will be there to support each other, too.”
The project is being funded through a variety of sources, but the largest is low-income tax credits through the Kentucky Housing Corporation, as well as a grant through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. It also received a Community Development Block Grant from the Campbell County Fiscal Court.
In order to qualify for the Scholar House, residents must be at least 18 years old, be considered low-income and have children. They also must be enrolled in a two- or four-year degree program at a state college, as well as attend six life skills workshops a year.
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