In honor of their coordinated funding efforts to support multifamily housing recovery, the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA) awarded Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) and the Department for Local Government (DLG) the 2026 Sterling Achievement Award for Disaster Recovery.
 
The award recognizes state programs that demonstrate sustained, positive results in improving the lives of low-income individuals through disaster recovery programs.
 
Following the December 2021 tornado outbreak, which destroyed or damaged 9,663 housing units, the Commonwealth committed more than $218 million in affordable housing resources to support construction of 953 new rental units across 11 projects in disaster-impacted Western Kentucky communities.

Through coordinated funding, KHC and DLG provided approximately $229,000 per housing unit through Tax-Exempt Bond Financing, 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, HUD HOME, the KY Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF), the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), the KY Rural Housing Trust Fund (RHTF), and HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds.

“Rebuilding communities means looking beyond immediate needs to create the conditions for long-term stability. Access to quality, affordable housing is essential to that future,” said Winston Miller, Executive Director and CEO of Kentucky Housing Corporation. “We are honored to do this work and to share this recognition with DLG as we continue working toward a Kentucky where quality, affordable housing is within reach for all.”

This recognition underscores the importance of the commitment of state agencies, housing developers, and local governments to expand access to affordable housing, both in disaster recovery and beyond

Pictured, left to right: Tess Hembree (COSCDA), Mark Williams (DLG), Travis Weber (DLG), and Kayla Savage (COSCDA) with the Sterling Achievement Award at the COSCDA conference in Memphis, TN on October 6, 2026.