LEXINGTON, Ky. — It’s been two years in the making for the AIDS Volunteers of Lexington (AVOL) Kentucky’s affordable housing project. It invites people who are LGBTQ+ and medically vulnerable to live in the inclusive housing.

The initial announcement was made in February 2020, followed by a groundbreaking in April 2021. This summer, the affordable housing complex will welcome its first tenants with a ribbon cutting ceremony in June.

Stonewall Terrace is housing that’s affordable, LGBTQ+, senior inclusive, and it’s just steps away from being finished this summer in June for its first tenants. According to AVOL Kentucky, it’s the first of its kind in Lexington, central Kentucky.

It’s being made possible through AVOL Kentucky’s partnerships with Winterwood, Inc., Kentucky Housing Corporation, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, and PNC Bank.

“Housing is health care. If people have a roof over their heads, they have the opportunity to get well,” said AVOL executive director Jon Parker.

26 units are nearly complete at Stonewall Terrace, just weeks before tenants move in. (Spectrum News 1/Diamond Palmer)

For nearly two years, AVOL Kentucky has been working on Stonewall Terrace in the Cardinal Valley neighborhood in Lexington. To qualify for the affordable housing, people must be low-income—meaning below 60% of area median income, living with HIV/AIDS or medically vulnerable.

“Up here will be our leasing office, so that will be the building that opens last, and that’s going to be exciting for our residents to move it and be a part of,” said Parker.

There will be 26 units across four buildings with washer, dryers and all utilities included, Parker said. The first tenants will move in at the beginning of June with a ceremony and ribbon cutting.

Units will rent for $700 a month with support services, a community center, plenty of green spaces and even a meditation garden.

“A lot of our clients may be older, LGBTQ+ people and what we’ve found is there’s a tendency for them to withdraw from the community and become isolated,” he said. “What we strive to do is bring them back to connecting with social opportunities, education opportunities and things that are really going to help their quality of life.”

Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows safe and affordable housing is directly linked to successful HIV/AIDS or medical recovery outcomes. 

“The fact of the matter is we have viruses in our society that we continue to fight, and it happens. So fighting that stigma, bias or opinions around medical conditions or even people that may look different from you is something we continuously try to battle,” said Parker.

It’s AVOL Kentucky’s hope that inclusive housing like Stonewall Terrace can be a stepping stone for the future of more inclusivity.

If you know someone that qualifies for this opportunity, you can call 859-225-3000 and extension 1024 to begin the application process.