Housing Development Alliance

10/21/2026

Congratulations to current Hope Building trainee Logan Wicker and Hope Building alumnus Anthony Brashear on graduating from Perry County Recovery Court yesterday!

Logan has been part of the Hope Building family for nearly seven months and continues to work hard toward his goals. In addition to gaining hands-on construction experience through our program, he recently earned his GED and is currently enrolled in classes at Hazard Community & Technical College.

Anthony completed 11 months in the Hope Building program and continues to build on that success as a full-time college student pursuing his bachelor's degree.

Their accomplishments are a powerful reminder that recovery opens doors to new opportunities, and we are proud to have played a small part in their journeys. Please join us in congratulating Logan and Anthony on this well-earned milestone!

10/20/2026

🏡 Housing innovation starts with listening, learning, and working together.

Today, HDA welcomed housing partners and community leaders to Breathitt County for a tour of our first two cottages - a creative, right-sized homeownership option designed for people with extremely low or fixed incomes.

These homes are part of our effort to think beyond traditional housing models and find safe, quality solutions for people who have too few affordable options. Today’s conversation gave us valuable perspectives on how this model might be strengthened, financed, and made available to more Eastern Kentuckians.

A special thank-you to everyone who joined this important conversation:
KY State Representative Chris Fugate
City of Jackson, Kentucky Mayor Laura Thomas
Breathitt Co. Long Term Recovery/Planning Team Member Phil Swartzentruber
Fahe JustChoice Lending Relationship Manager Sade Wells
Fahe Project Manager and Breathitt County resident Jessica Epperson
Kentucky Housing Corporation Deputy Executive Director Wendy Smith
Kentucky Housing Corporation Managing Director of Housing Contract Administration Curtis Stauffer
H.O.M.E.S. Inc. Executive Director Seth Long
USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing Program Director for Kentucky Rachel Chambers
David Leveridge, soon-to-be owner of HDA’s first cottage

We’re grateful for their time, ideas, and willingness to help us explore new paths to homeownership. Two cottages won’t solve Eastern Kentucky’s housing challenges - but they can help us learn what’s possible and build something better together.

10/20/2026

The Housing Development Alliance joins all of Breathitt County in mourning the passing of Judge-Executive Jeff Noble.

Judge Noble was a valued partner in our efforts to create more quality, affordable housing in Breathitt County. Following the devastating floods of 2021, 2022, and 2025, he worked alongside HDA and others to help families recover, rebuild, and find safer places to call home.

He understood that recovery requires commitment, cooperation, and a deep love for the community you serve. We are grateful for his partnership and for the many ways he worked to move Breathitt County forward.

Our hearts are with his family, friends, colleagues, county employees, and everyone across Breathitt County who is grieving this loss. His service and dedication will not be forgotten. 💚

Breathitt County Judge-Executive Jeff Noble was laid to rest Monday afternoon. Read more about his life: https://www.wkyt.com/2026/10/19/jeff-loved-life-hundreds-gather-funeral-service-late-judge-executive/

10/19/2026

🏍️ 🎙️ Our story is out!

Last week, British journalist Guy Kiddey stopped in Hazard during Harley Conversations, his motorcycle journey across the American South that focuses on people whose lives rarely make the headlines. While he was here, he sat down with some of our favorite people to talk about home, community, and housing in Eastern Kentucky.

This episode features: 🏡 Lloyd & Karen Morris, our new Skyview homeowners 🏡 Missy Sexton, an HDA homeowner in the Rowdy community of Perry County, and 💬 Mindy Miller, HDA's Director of Development & Communications.

We're grateful to Lloyd, Karen, and Missy for opening their homes and sharing their stories so openly. Their stories show why we do this work. A safe, quality, affordable home helps a family stay rooted in the place they love. 💙

Thank you, Guy, for taking the time to listen to Eastern Kentucky voices and share them with the world. 🇬🇧 🇺🇸

Harley Conversations

🎧 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/x2Lcj7tDhSQ?si=RzuDLu_-BoPPq-A5

Think ’s Hillbilly Elegy is the be-all-and-end-all about ...

10/15/2026

🏡 🔑 Welcome Home, Tyler & Erica Sandlin! 🔑 🏡

This week we sold the 17th and final home in the first section of Chestnut Ridge! 🎉

The Sandlins used to live in the Mallie community of Knott County. Floodwaters reached their home in 2022 and again in February 2025. Both times, they worked hard to repair it so they could stay. Then, just before Christmas last December, their home burned down.

After everything they've been through, this holiday season will look very different. 🎄 Tyler and Erica will celebrate in a safe, quality home of their own, on high ground that will never flood. 💙

We're so happy for the Sandlins and grateful they let us share their story. Congratulations, Tyler and Erica. Welcome to your new neighborhood! 🍂

This home was made possible by our funding partners:
🤝 Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky
🤝 Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati AHP funds
🤝 Federal Community Project Funding (Congressman Hal Rogers)

Thank you for helping families like the Sandlins rebuild their lives on solid ground. 🙏

10/15/2026

🎉🏡 Happy Workiversary to Our October Team! 🏡🎉

This month we're celebrating some very special milestones, starting with one that's hard to put into words.

🌟 Scott McReynolds, 32 Years 🌟 32 Years of Leadership. 33 Years of HDA. One Remarkable Legacy. HDA is 33 years old (our birthday was Sept. 8th), and Scott has led us for 32 of them. He's been here for every home built, every family handed the keys, and every flood and setback we've worked through. Over three decades he's helped turn a small idea into an organization that changes lives across Eastern Kentucky. Scott, thank you for your vision, your steady hand, and your belief that every family in the mountains deserves a safe, quality, affordable home. We wouldn't be who we are without you. 💙

We're also celebrating these team members:

📈 Amie Bedwell, Finance Director - 7 Years
🛠 Collin Mosley, Lead Carpenter - 4 Years
🔨 Susan Adams, Carpenter - 4 Years
📝 Linda Taylor, Home Repair & Rental Specialist - 3 Years
⭐ Jessica Noble, Executive Assistant - 1 Year

Whether it's your first year or your 32nd, thank you for the heart and hard work you bring to HDA every day. Together, you're building more than homes. You're building hope and a future for Eastern Kentucky. 🍂

Join us in congratulating our October crew in the comments! 👇

10/15/2026

🏍️ 🇬🇧 A Visitor From Across the Pond! 🇬🇧 🏍️

This week HDA welcomed Guy Kiddey, a British journalist, writer, and filmmaker who is riding a Harley-Davidson across the American South this fall for his independent project, Harley Conversations. Through conversations, photography, and short films, Guy is looking at what everyday life is like in America today, and his stop in Hazard brought him to us to learn about housing in Eastern Kentucky.

Guy wanted to understand how housing here has changed as the coal economy declined and since the floods. He also asked what it takes for families, especially younger people, to stay in the mountains, and what makes a community strong over the long run. He talked with Executive Director Scott McReynolds, Disaster Recovery Program Manager Sidney Megna, and Director of Development & Communications Mindy Miller about HDA's work and the challenges and hopes shaping our region.

One highlight was a visit to Skyview Estates with new HDA homeowners Lloyd & Karen Morris. 🏡 🍂 The Morrises have decorated their home beautifully for fall, and they sat down with Guy on their front porch to share their story. Thank you, Lloyd and Karen, for opening your home and sharing your experience so generously!

We're grateful to Guy for taking the time to listen and for wanting to tell Appalachia's story with care. Follow his journey here: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHtMBD7RNMwqrfvQsTfAeTg

10/15/2026

🎉🎂 Happy Birthday to Our October Team Members! 🎂🎉

This month we're celebrating some of the people who keep HDA running. Our carpenters, construction managers, counselors, and specialists show up every day to help families across Eastern Kentucky find safe, affordable homes. Please join us in wishing them a happy birthday!

🔨 Steve Hurt, Lead Carpenter (Oct. 1st)
🔨 Sam Williams, Carpenter (Oct. 3rd)
🏡 Alicia Napier, Rental Specialist (Oct. 8th)
🛠️ Mark Cody, Rehab Construction Manager (Oct. 10th)
📣 Mindy Miller, Director of Development & Communications (Oct. 15th)
🔑 Taygan Mullins, New Home Counselor (Oct. 20th)
🔨 Jason Fultz, Carpenter (Oct. 22nd)
🔨 Paul Watts, Carpenter (Oct. 23rd)
📋 Zoey Holland, Intake Specialist (Oct. 28th)

Thank you for the skill and care you bring to this work. Everyone here is part of what makes this mission possible. We hope your year ahead is a great one! 🍂🎈

Drop a birthday wish in the comments for our October crew! 👇

10/13/2026

Seriously, how cool is this?!

🚀 Early this morning, HDA carpenter Jerry Chaffins caught something extraordinary on camera.

Filmed from Chestnut Ridge with fellow carpenter Susan Adams, this video shows the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch as it carried supplies to the International Space Station. The glowing plume created the spectacular "space jellyfish" phenomenon, making for an unforgettable sight in the Eastern Kentucky sky.

Many thanks to Jerry for letting us share this amazing footage with everyone!

👀 Watch the video below.