Louisville program helps homeowners combat redlining with renovation funds

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Some Louisville homeowners are getting thousands of dollars to help purchase homes that need some renovations.

REVERT, a Louisville program, provides up to $50,000 for people to fix up their homes. In Dec. 2022, Louisville Metro Council awarded $13 million to the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund to combat the injustices of families who experienced redlining.

Earlier this year, Kimberly Burns moved into her dream home in the Algonquin neighborhood.

"I finally closed on February 26 of this year, and I moved in in April," Burns said.

Burns was able to purchase the home through the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund's REVERT program.

"I received $50,000 from the Revert program," Burns said. "They went through, did a background check, did my lineage."

REVERT which stands for Restoring Each Viable Economically Redline Territory, was created to combat injustices of families who experienced redlining dating back to the 1930s. According to the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, redlining is defined as, "a discriminatory practice of denying or offering less favorable loans for housing to people in certain neighborhoods or areas based on their demographics or perceived risk." The fund goes on to state that the practice, "contributed to the racial segregation and inequality that shaped the way America looks today."

"My grandmother lived in the redline area, which helped me to get into the program," Burns said.

Richard Ballard is the program director for REVERT.

"It was banks, they were not loaning to people in certain areas. They took a map, and they would map out what areas they would not loan, give homes or loans to basically be able to purchase, create homeownership," Ballard said.

REVERT has helped create 17 new homeowners. Ballard said the redline areas are across the city and it's just the beginning.

"So, our goal was 216 new homeowners," Ballard said.

After seeing the before and after photos, Burns still gets excited about being a first-time home owner.

"When I saw the before pictures, I was absolutely shocked at the outcome of what the funds from Revert did for this house," Burns said. "Some nights when I'm in here, I just sit back and I'm like in awe that I finally did it. And I finally have a home that's mine."

To learn more about the program, click here. To see if an area qualifies, click here.

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