Choice Landing: First Kelsey Certified Housing in Kentucky

Author: Pillar
Published: 24 Sep 2026
Publication Type: Announcement

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This information covers the official groundbreaking of Choice Landing, a $22 million affordable housing community in Oldham County, Kentucky, being developed by Pillar, a Kentucky social service agency that supports adults with physical and intellectual disabilities. The project will provide 72 independent living apartments for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and is set to become the first community in the state to earn Kelsey Certification, a standard that goes beyond minimum building code and ADA requirements by building accessibility into a property's design, development, and day-to-day operations. Funding comes from Kentucky Housing Corporation tax credits, a $6 million appropriation from the Kentucky General Assembly, and a $1 million Community Development Block Grant. For adults with disabilities who want to live on their own, and for the families and caregivers who support them, the project is a practical example of how public funding and resident input can shape housing that balances independence with access to daily support.*

At a Glance

• 1 - Construction is expected to begin by October, with the first tenants scheduled to move in during early 2028.
• 2 - Residents will have round-the-clock access to on-site front desk staff, along with weekly transportation to shopping.
• 3 - The peer advisory board includes Sarah Malone, Peter Campbell, and Alicia Rexroat, all current residents of an existing Pillar community.
• 4 - Families and individuals can join the waitlist now through choicelanding.org, and residents may also access day training, community living support, and community access services.

Topic Definition

Kelsey Certification

Kelsey Certification is a disability-forward housing standard developed by The Kelsey, a national nonprofit focused on inclusive housing for people with and without disabilities. Rather than treating accessibility as a checklist of individual features, the certification evaluates how well inclusion is built into a property's overall design, development process, and ongoing operations, setting expectations that go beyond minimum building codes and the Americans with Disabilities Act. A key part of the process is meaningful input from people with disabilities themselves, often through a peer or resident advisory board, so that the finished community reflects how residents actually live, move, communicate, and connect with one another.

Overview

Pillar Unveils Plans for Choice Landing Apartments with Official Groundbreaking

Kentucky's first planned Kelsey Certified independent living community for adults with disabilities

Pillar, one of Kentucky's leading social service agencies, today unveiled plans for Choice Landing apartments at the official groundbreaking in Oldham County. Designed as a safe, affordable,and thriving residential community, Choice Landing will include 72 units dedicated to independent living for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Choice Landing uniquely marks a major step forward in expanding affordable, supportive housing options for individuals seeking greater independence and will be the first community in Kentucky to be Kelsey Certified.

Attendees at the groundbreaking included Kentucky General Assembly Speaker of the House David Osborne;Kentucky State Senator Lindsey Tichenor; Oldham County Judge Executive David Voegele; Pillar Chairman and recent Bell Award recipient Alex Campbell; Sara Gibson, Project Representative for Multifamily Programs from the Kentucky Housing Corporation; Pillar Executive Director Karri Gerdemann; and many others involved in making the project possible.

Choice Landing is a $22 million project with funding from Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) tax credits, a $6 million appropriation from the Kentucky General Assembly and a $1 million Community Development Block Grant.

Planned to be the first development in Kentucky to receive the prestigious Kelsey Certification, Choice Landing willmeet design standards that go beyond minimum building code and ADA requirements, addressing accessibility throughout a building's design, development, and operations. The certification includes gathering the input of a peer advisory board. Members of Pillar's peer advisory board are Sarah Malone, Peter Campbell, and Alicia Rexroat, who are also residents of Pillar's existing community.

"Today's groundbreaking celebrates the start of a new standard for what inclusive housing can look like," said Alex Campbell, Chairman of Pillar's Board of Directors. "Throughout the planning and design process, we were able to bring a peer advisory group into the process, incorporating firsthand experiences and perspectives into the apartments themselves. The thoughtfully designed apartments will support 72 individuals in living on their own, who would not be able to do so otherwise, and Pillar is proud to be providing a solution for many families while lessening the strain to the state"

As work on Choice Landing begins, those interested in learning more about the project or to sign up for the waitlist may visit choicelanding.org. Choice Landing is expected to welcome its first tenants in early 2028, with construction expected to begin by October of this year.

"Choice Landing has been a labor of love, and we are thrilled to help it come to life," said Karri Gerdemann, Pillar's Executive Director. "Choice Landing is about giving individuals a place where they can live with independence and create a safe and supportive community, where everyone truly feels at home. We are so incredibly grateful to the Kentucky General Assembly, Speaker Osborne, and many others for their support in making this project a reality."

Choice Landing is intentionally structured to promote independence while ensuring all residents have access to the support needed to succeed in daily life. Key features of Choice Landing will include:

On-site front desk staff available 24/7

Optional technology support to promote independence, including:

• Weekly transport to shopping
• Community activities and green space
• Access to additional support, such as day training, community living support, community access, etc.
• Kelsey Certification

For Choice Landing, pursuing Kelsey Certification represents an important commitment to ensuring accessibility and inclusion are embedded throughout the community, not simply added as individual features. As Kentucky's first community to pursue and receive this certification, Choice Landing is helping set a higher standard for disability-forward housing and creating a model for communities designed to support greater independence, choice and belonging.

About Pillar

Pillar supports people with disabilities by promoting opportunity, choice, and community connection. Pillar operates staffed residential homes and community engagement centers that offer a range of programs, case management, and behavior supports for adults with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

Who is typically eligible to live in a community like Choice Landing?

Choice Landing is designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who want to live independently. Because the project uses affordable housing tax credits, residents generally must also meet income limits set by the program, so interested applicants should confirm current eligibility requirements directly with Pillar.

How is Kelsey Certification different from ADA compliance?

ADA compliance sets legal minimum accessibility requirements for buildings. Kelsey Certification goes further by looking at how accessibility and inclusion are built into the entire design, development, and operation of a property, and it includes input from people with disabilities during planning.

What are housing tax credits and how do they help fund affordable housing?

Housing tax credits, such as the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit administered by state housing agencies, give developers tax incentives that attract private investment. That investment lowers the amount of debt a project carries, which allows rents to stay affordable for lower-income residents.

What is a Community Development Block Grant?

A Community Development Block Grant is a flexible federal program run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It provides funding to states and local governments for projects that benefit low- and moderate-income residents, including affordable housing and public facilities.

What does a peer advisory board do in housing design?

A peer advisory board is a group of people with lived experience of disability who review plans and share practical feedback. Their input helps designers understand real daily needs, such as layout, lighting, wayfinding, and technology, that might otherwise be overlooked.

Can residents of independent living communities still use Medicaid waiver services?

In many cases, yes. In Kentucky, services such as day training, community living supports, and community access are commonly funded through Medicaid waiver programs like Supports for Community Living, although each person must qualify and apply separately for those services.

Why is supportive housing important for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities?

Many adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities live with aging parents or in settings with limited personal choice. Supportive housing offers a middle path that combines a private home with access to help when needed, which can improve quality of life and long-term stability.

Where is Oldham County, Kentucky located?

Oldham County is located in north-central Kentucky, just northeast of Louisville along the Ohio River. It is part of the Louisville metropolitan area, giving residents access to regional services, employment, and healthcare.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: Choice Landing stands out less for its size than for the way it was planned. By bringing people with disabilities onto a peer advisory board and letting their lived experience shape the apartments, Pillar has treated future residents as contributors to the design rather than recipients of it. Board Chairman Alex Campbell noted that the community will allow 72 people to live on their own who could not otherwise do so, while also easing pressure on families and state resources. With support from Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne, State Senator Lindsey Tichenor, Oldham County Judge Executive David Voegele, and the Kentucky Housing Corporation, the project reflects broad agreement that supportive housing is a shared public responsibility. Its optional technology supports, community activities, and green space point toward a model other states and agencies may look to as demand grows for housing that offers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities real choice about where and how they live.*

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Pillar and published on 24 Sep 2026, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.