Gov. Andy Beshear presents keys to new homeowners

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Gov. Andy Beshear made a stop in Bowling Green on Thursday to unveil new homes for local homeowners.

On Regis O’Connor Boulevard, six new homeowners received their keys from Beshear. All of the homes were built by Habitat for Humanity of Bowling Green and will go to some of the victims of the December 2021 tornado.

These homes are part of a larger project aimed at bringing more affordable housing to the community. Those who work on the homes, whether volunteers or builders, say the experience is a humbling one.

“You know this from the start of the project, when we were out here with shovels with these homeowners, and then to now where we’re here with keys and our homeowners, it’s a long process that we get to walk with them,” said Habitat for Humanity Chief Development Officer Matt Sheffield. “It’s such a joy and an honor, a humbling honor, to be kind of a witness to their work. This is really their success, and it’s amazing to watch them transform in our process and achieve homeownership.”

For some, the journey to homeownership has been long and sometimes painful, but receiving the keys is a dream come true.

“I was diagnosed with stage three triple-negative breast cancer, which was very aggressive,” said new homeowner Kimberly Sommerville. “My mom was diagnosed two months after me with lung cancer. I was a social worker for 18 years, and becoming disabled from cancer treatments really started the story. When I applied for Habitat, I never thought someone who was going to be 63 in May and disabled could ever own a house, and it has come through. It’s beyond my wildest imagination.”

Habitat for Humanity says it is still working to provide dozens of opportunities for new homes at affordable costs across Bowling Green.