Pictured Above: Gurney's Bend
Community Redevelopment
Turning underused land into lasting housing and stronger communities
The Housing Development Alliance partners with local governments to redevelop neglected, abandoned, or underutilized land into affordable housing that strengthens communities for the long term.
Community redevelopment is not a side project – it is a strategic tool. By transforming blighted properties into safe, attractive neighborhoods, HDA helps our community stabilize, grow, and prepare for the future.
Why Community Redevelopment Matters
Across Eastern Kentucky, communities are working to rebuild after decades of economic transition, population loss, and disinvestment. Vacant buildings and deteriorated properties are not just eyesores – they are barriers to growth.
Community redevelopment allows HDA and its partners to:
Increase the supply of affordable workforce housing
Remove unsafe or unusable structures
Strengthen local tax bases
Improve neighborhood safety and appearance
Support long-term economic recovery
Affordable housing is a foundation for economic development. When families have stable, affordable homes, they are better positioned to work, spend locally, and invest in their communities.
How HDA Approaches Redevelopment
Build What Lasts means focusing on projects that deliver permanent value.
HDA works with city and county governments to:
Identify properties unlikely to be redeveloped by the private market
Navigate demolition, site preparation, and infrastructure needs
Design housing that fits the scale and character of the community
Build homes that are energy-efficient, durable, and affordable
Ensure developments contribute to long-term neighborhood stability
Because demolition and site preparation are often cost-prohibitive for for-profit developers, nonprofit–public partnerships are essential. HDA brings development expertise, access to layered financing, and a mission-driven approach that prioritizes community benefit over short-term returns.
What Makes This Work Last
Community redevelopment through HDA results in more than new housing units.
It creates:
Permanent housing assets in strategic locations
Stronger neighborhoods, not isolated homes
Opportunities for homeownership and wealth-building
Safer, more attractive communities that can attract additional investment
These projects are designed to endure – physically, financially, and socially.
Featured Redevelopment Projects
Allais Redevelopment Project (Gurney’s Bend)
Hazard, KY
Once a thriving area of Hazard, Allais experienced significant decline following economic shifts in the region. A long-vacant strip mall sat unused for more than 15 years, becoming a magnet for illegal dumping, vandalism, and unsafe activity.
In partnership with the City of Hazard, HDA transformed this blighted site into Gurney’s Bend, a 15-home affordable subdivision – the first new subdivision built within Hazard city limits in over 50 years.
Project highlights:
City-led demolition and site preparation
HDA-led home construction
15 affordable homes in a walkable, central location
A model for city–nonprofit redevelopment partnerships
Broadway Street Redevelopment
Hazard, KY
In 2014, HDA acquired the former Broadway School property after the building became a financial burden and safety concern for the Hazard Independent School System.
Following demolition and careful preservation of historically significant elements, HDA constructed six affordable homes, all sold to women-headed households.
Today, the homes form a stable, connected neighborhood where residents actively support one another – demonstrating how thoughtful redevelopment can strengthen both place and community.
A Scalable Model for Eastern Kentucky
These projects represent more than isolated success stories. They demonstrate a replicable redevelopment model that can be applied across Eastern Kentucky:
Public land + nonprofit development
Strategic investment where the private market cannot operate alone
Long-term housing solutions tied to community goals
As communities confront housing shortages, disaster recovery, and economic transition, this model becomes increasingly important.
Partner with HDA
Let’s Build What Lasts - Together
HDA welcomes partnerships with city and county governments (in Breathitt, Knott, Leslie, and Perry counties) interested in:
Redeveloping blighted or vacant properties
Expanding affordable workforce housing
Strengthening neighborhoods through long-term investment
If your community has land or properties in need of reinvestment, we are ready to explore how redevelopment can serve shared goals.
Contact:
Jessica Noble, Executive Assistant to Scott McReynolds
Office: 606-436-0497
