Bowling Green’s ever-increasing affordable housing options are expanding, as a grant totaling a hair over $1 million has been awarded to South Central Bank and Hope House Ministries that will help finish construction on 14 townhomes on Glen Lily Road.

Casey Hammons, director of marketing and communications for Hope House, said the units are being built in an area along Glen Lily Road near the women’s addiction recovery center the organization runs.

“I think this has been a missing component of our addiction recovery programs for a while,” Hammons said. “It’s always difficult for people whenever they complete the program and they’ve graduated, but they’re still trying to get their feet under them … and find an affordable place to live.”

The grant came from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati through the Affordable Housing Program, one of 56 awarded to financial institutions that will help fund construction of over 2,700 housing units across Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.

The project will be financed through the grant, a loan to South Central Bank, donated land and other monetary contributions, according to an email from Andrew Moorhead, communications manager for FHLB Cincinnati.

Six of the 14 townhomes have already been finished, with the grant paving the way for the eight remaining ones to wrap up. Hammons said those who live in the units will come “primarily” from Hope House programs.

“It’ll be case by case,” she said. “There might be some cases where we have somebody who wants to participate in the program, because it’s less of … income-based housing, and it’s actually a program that somebody will be entering into.”

These programs include classes in employment readiness, financial management and parenting, along with other services that aid participants in getting to work and even addiction recovery.

Like rental applications, Hammons said rental costs will be determined case-by-case, with costs varying based on tenants’ income levels.

“The goal is that it’s affordable for the person,” she said. “And because they are signing on to the extra commitment of being essentially in a program … we want to make sure that we’re providing that support, making it affordable.”

The 14 units will be a mix of two- and three-bedroom apartments with a goal of being single-family residences, and Hope House is eyeing an October 2025 completion date for the eight structures.

Hammons said many of the units will be used for “reunification.”

“A lot of people who’ve gone through our addiction recovery program are in the process of getting custody back or visitation with their children,” Hammons said. “And so the apartments will give them a place to have their children live within while they’re transitioning back into independence.”

Hammons said had the grant not come, the completion would have still been possible, but would have taken longer and depended on more private donations.

Jonathan McElroy, vice president and commercial lender for South Central Bank, told the Daily News in an email that Hope House plays a “crucial role” in helping people overcome addiction, poverty and abuse.

“South Central Bank believes in Bowling Green and is taking strides to finance projects that build up all of our citizens across all parts of our community. We are excited that we are able to help provide safe, quality and affordable housing to the individuals and families Hope House serves.”