Covington’s Pleasant Street Project Secures Its Final Parcel
After securing the final vacant parcel, Covington’s Pleasant Street project advanced on Sept. 22, 2026, when the city approved development of five additional affordable homes on the southern side of the 300 block.
The approval covers 316-318, 326, 328 and 338 Pleasant Street, where the city’s nonprofit housing subsidiary, Neighborhood Investment Partners, will lead development.
The homes are part of a three-phase effort intended to create 15 residences and expand homeownership opportunities in the Eastside neighborhood.
The southern-side phase includes two three-bedroom detached homes, one two-bedroom detached home and a duplex with three bedrooms in each unit.
The parcel acquisition marks a step in the city’s vacant land reclamation effort, directing underused residential lots toward housing. The homes will be designed to meet current building codes.
Planning was expected to begin in fall 2026, with construction anticipated to start in spring 2027.
The project uses factory-built homes installed on vacant parcels. The homes will be marketed to local buyers who meet HUD’s low-income criteria, with eligible buyers potentially able to receive low-interest, forgivable loans through the Northern Kentucky HOME Consortium to help with down payments and closing costs. Loan assistance may help qualified buyers purchase a home.
How Covington Assembled the Pleasant Street Site
Covington assembled the Pleasant Street site by transferring three city-owned parcels to Neighborhood Investment Partners (NIP). NIP combined the lots to accommodate two homes and a shared driveway.
The City’s control of existing properties reduced the need for a large private buyout. It also allowed vacant parcels and structures to be treated as one redevelopment site.
| Assembly element | Role |
|---|---|
| City-owned land | Core of the site |
| Three parcels | Transferred to NIP |
| NIP | Consolidated the lots |
| Demolition | Cleared structures for redevelopment |
| Phased assembly | Supported block-by-block work |
In 2025, commissioners approved demolition of three city-owned properties to prepare the area for development and future homeowners. The work helped create contiguous buildable land.
Pleasant Street was described as the first of three planned phases. Initial work focused on the north side, with later development planned for additional lots and the southern side.
How Many Affordable Homes Will Pleasant Street Add?
The Pleasant Street redevelopment is planned to add 15 affordable for-sale homes across three phases. The project expands the site assembly into a larger homeownership development in Covington’s Eastside.
Affordable Homeownership in Three Phases
The first phase includes two newly constructed three-bedroom, three-bathroom homes at 304 and 308 Pleasant Street, each about 1,560 square feet.
A later phase is planned to add five homes, including detached houses and a duplex. Further construction would bring the overall development to 15 homes.
The affordability plan targets income-qualified households, generally those at or below 80% of Area Median Income under HUD criteria. First-phase homes are expected to be priced between $250,000 and $260,000.
Homebuyer eligibility rules are intended to direct the for-sale homes to local buyers who meet affordable-housing requirements. The development is designed to expand ownership opportunities, rather than add rental units, as the remaining phases complete the planned neighborhood buildout. Charleston, by comparison, aims to build 3,500 affordable units by 2030.
What the Final Pleasant Street Lot Enables
Securing the final Pleasant Street parcel completes the blockwide land assembly and enables a coordinated plan for the remaining vacant lots on the block’s southern side.
Consolidating adjacent properties allows the city to plan housing and site design across a larger area rather than treating each lot as an isolated project.
The parcel also supports the third phase of the 300 block transformation. Planning is expected to begin in fall 2026, with construction anticipated to start in spring 2027.
The work builds on earlier phases on the block’s northern side and keeps the staged redevelopment moving.
Covington’s workforce homeownership effort uses factory-built homes on vacant city land for middle-income buyers and workers.
Completing the assembly extends that opportunity beyond the initial homes and makes a cohesive streetscape possible through a more consistent residential pattern.
Where Covington Is Building Homes Next
Beyond Pleasant Street, Covington’s Eastside housing effort aims to produce 15 new homes through a mix of city-owned land and nonprofit development.
The city has sought proposals for more than two dozen vacant properties, including seven residential parcels on Pleasant Street and East 13th Street. The broader effort aims to turn underused land into a more cohesive residential corridor and expand homeownership opportunities.
| Location | Planned activity | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Street north side | Five homes | Construction anticipated spring 2027 |
| Pleasant Street south side | Final project phase | Planning expected fall 2026 |
| East 13th Street parcels | Redevelopment proposals | Timing not specified |
| Other city-owned lots | Residential redevelopment | Timing not specified |
Future Eastside neighborhood growth may include detached homes and a duplex, with smaller, lower-cost options among the housing types under consideration.
Assessment
Securing the final parcel clears a key site-control hurdle for Covington’s Pleasant Street housing project. The development is expected to add affordable homes.
Meanwhile, the city continues advancing other residential plans. The project’s next steps will determine when construction can begin and when residents may move into the new units.
