Unique home show unlocks the doors to affordable and sustainable home ownership
5.22.2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The doors to home ownership will be wide open June 8-10 during the 2012 Sustainable + Attainable Home Show, a unique showcase where style meets sustainability and affordable homes keep the dream of home ownership alive in south Louisville.
Admission is free with the donation of a canned good or $5 per person. The homes are part of the Sunset Gardens subdivision, located in Shively near South Crums and Greenwell Lanes. Sunset Gardens is within walking distance of Crums Lane Elementary School, 3212 S. Crums Lane. The show runs from 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Friday and Sunday June 8, 10, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday June 9.
Presented by The Housing Partnership Inc. (HPI), a local non-profit focused on affordable housing, and sponsored by LG&E and Republic Bank, Sunset Gardens is Louisville's first affordable and eco-friendly home showcase. On display will be the interiors of nine houses listed from $100,000 to $150,000 reflecting a variety of architectural styles and floor plans. From charming bungalows to traditional two-story homes, there is a house plan sure to please everyone.
"With Sunset Gardens, we have an opportunity to show the public how energy efficient and incredible affordable housing can be," said Mike Hynes, president of HPI. "These homes will truly surprise and amaze people. We have built good, quality housing that working families can afford to buy and can stay in. Sunset Gardens is the very definition of community. Our thanks goes to LG&E and Republic Bank for making the Sunset Gardens Home Show a reality."
"LG&E is committed to smart energy use as well as building strong communities. Sunset Gardens will go a long way in achieving both objectives," said Laura Douglas, vice president, Corporate Responsibility and Community Affairs at LG&E.
Each home is ENERGY STAR® qualified. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are up to 24 percent more efficient than standard homes and offer benefits of lower ownership costs, better performance and greater comfort for the homeowner. In addition to the sponsorship of the home show, LG&E assisted in helping relieve costs of ENERGY STAR qualification of these homes though LG&E and KU's Energy-Saving New Homes program. One of the energy efficiency programs offered by LG&E and KU, the Energy-Saving New Homes program reimburses homebuilders for the performance modeling and inspection required for each ENERGY STAR qualified home.
"As the area's largest locally owned bank, Republic Bank is proud to partner with the Housing Partnership to offer affordable housing in our hometown community," stated Steve Trager, Republic Bank's Chairman and CEO.
All nine homes in the show have interiors created by local designers with an eye for sustainability and functionality in addition to style and beauty. HPI challenged the designers to use at least 30 percent recycled, repurposed or reused materials and to keep their total furnishings budget under $8,000. Show attendees can vote on their favorite home design and the designer who showed the best use of repurposed materials. Items used in the interiors will be available for sale.
Homes will be sold through HPI's Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which offers qualified buyers assistance with down payments, closing costs and other subsidies.
More information about Sunset Gardens and home-ownership qualifications is available at www.WeAreHPI.org.
Louisville Gas and Electric Company and Kentucky Utilities Company, part of the PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) family of companies, are regulated utilities that serve a total of 1.2 million customers and have consistently ranked among the best companies for customer service in the United States. LG&E serves 321,000 natural gas and 397,000 electric customers in Louisville and 16 surrounding counties. Kentucky Utilities serves 546,000 customers in 77 Kentucky counties and five counties in Virginia. More information is available at www.lge-ku.com and www.pplweb.com.
HPI is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to create, sustain and promote access to affordable housing opportunities.
Republic Bancorp, Inc. (Republic) has 43 banking centers and is the parent company of Republic Bank & Trust Company and Republic Bank. Republic Bank & Trust Company has 34 banking centers in 12 Kentucky communities — Covington, Crestwood, Elizabethtown, Florence, Frankfort, Georgetown, Independence, Lexington, Louisville, Owensboro, Shelbyville and Shepherdsville, three banking centers in southern Indiana — Floyds Knobs, Jeffersonville and New Albany and one banking center in Franklin (Nashville), Tennessee. Republic Bank has banking centers in Hudson, Palm Harbor, Port Richey and Temple Terrace, Florida as well as Blue Ash (Cincinnati), Ohio. Republic operates Tax Refund Solutions, a nationwide tax refund loan and check provider. Republic offers internet banking at www.republicbank.com. Republic has $3.4 billion in assets and $1 billion in trust assets under custody and management. Republic is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and Republic's Class A Common Stock is listed under the symbol "RBCAA" on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. We were here for you yesterday. We are here for you today. We will be here for you tomorrow.