Scholar House

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

In Pike County, the new Pikeville Scholar House will provide decent, safe, sanitary and affordable housing through the new construction of 48 multifamily housing units and an onsite childcare facility. Along with the housing units will be a 15,000-plus square foot Childhood Early Education Center, which will also house the academic center’s offices, a computer/media lab, children’s library and multipurpose/classroom space. University of Pikeville President Paul Patton found out about the Scholar House from University of Louisville President James Ramsey, who served in Patton’s administration during his time as Kentucky’s 59th Governor. Patton realizing the benefits of the Scholar House led community leaders to step up and get the planning of the project under way. The Scholar House will be on property controlled by the City of Pikeville on the corner of Auxier and Saad avenues. A portion of this two-acre plot was obtained through a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). This project would give a single parent who is on welfare and placing them in a secure apartment and the goal would be to take a person from welfare to the workforce. The Scholar House would be funded through the Kentucky Housing Corporation, and according to the Oct. 1-2 edition of the Appalachian News-Express, would be 48 units in phase I and cost $11 million. Pike County Housing Authority Vouchers would be used to cover the rent for single-parent tenants.