Echo Trail Breaks Ground in Bowling Green, Bringing 256 Units of Affordable Housing to Warren County

FRANKFORT, Kentucky — Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC), in partnership with LDG Development, PNC Bank, and the Kentucky Department of Local Government, yesterday celebrated the groundbreaking of Echo Trail, a new 256-unit affordable housing community in Bowling Green.

The event marked a milestone in addressing the region’s need for high quality, affordable housing for working families. Echo Trail is the first project to break ground from the historic $223 million fund that was created in June 2024 to build 953 units in disaster-impacted counties of Western Kentucky. The $223 million awarded to four Western Kentucky counties will provide 953 rental units through 11 new construction projects to rehouse those displaced by the 2021 tornadoes.

“KHC is proud to partner with LDG and the Department for Local Government to break ground on Echo Trail,” said Winston Miller, KHC executive director and chief executive officer. “We know that the impacts of this development will go far beyond simply providing affordable housing for 256 families in the Bowling Green area. The projects funded by this award are aiding disaster recovery and economic development as well as closing the housing gap in the region.”

The Kentucky Housing Supply Gap Analysis found that the state needed more than 101,000 rental units to meet its current housing needs. Warren County alone needs more than 4,000 rental units to serve its current population. This project will help to decrease the gap significantly. When combined with other projects funded by the $223 million award, Warren County will have decreased its housing shortage by 14 percent.

Echo Trail will offer a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom garden-style apartment homes for income-qualifying families. The development will feature 15 residential buildings and a clubhouse with a business center, fitness center, and community room. Outdoor amenities will include a swimming pool, playground, and dog park, creating a vibrant and inclusive environment for residents.

Financing for Echo Trail was made possible through a combination of public and private resources, including $37.5 million in tax-exempt bonds and $3.5 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from KHC and more than $12 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief funds administered by the Kentucky Department of Local Government.

KHC and DLG each issued Notices of Funds Available (NOFA) for multifamily Western Kentucky Disaster Recovery in late 2023. Receiving more applications than expected seeking more funding than available, the two agencies partnered to bring additional funds to the table. In the end, together, they awarded more than $223 million to build 11 developments for moderate- to low-income families in Christian, Graves, Hopkins, and Warren counties.

For more information about Kentucky Housing Corporation and its affordable housing initiatives, visit www.kyhousing.org.

Kentucky Housing Corporation, the state housing finance agency, was created by the 1972 General Assembly to provide affordable housing opportunities.  As a self-supporting, public corporation, Kentucky Housing offers down payment assistance loans to assist first-time homebuyers obtain home mortgages, housing production financing, homeownership education/counseling, rental assistance, housing rehabilitation, and supportive housing programs for special needs populations.