“In that service to others we may find that coming together in friendship, building up community, we too can find true meaning in our lives.” —Pope Leo XIV
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati, propelled by an anonymous donor and inspired by Pope Leo XIV’s commitment to service, has begun a 9-home building project in the Botany Hills neighborhood of Covington, Kentucky. Three of those homes are already complete and families moved in before Christmas of 2025. The remaining six are under construction and plan to be finished by the end of 2026. Help Build Hope is excited to be a partner in this effort, providing walls for two of the homes currently under construction.
Botany Hills
While this project is part of a larger country-wide effort, this neighborhood in Botany Hills is worthy of special mention. Referencing a study by the Northern Kentucky Area Development District, Sarah Reynolds, Communications and Marketing Officer for the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati, explained the immediate need for affordable homes in Covington:
“While the region is in need of affordable rentals, they also need affordable homeownership options. Many people who work in cities like Covington won’t be able to build or buy a home in Covington. This is because there just aren’t enough homes—especially smaller ‘starter homes’—and because the housing stock that is available is unaffordable to a large portion of people interested in becoming homeowners.”
Seeing this need, Habitat has been restoring blighted, vacant, and infill lots across Covington to not only meet the housing need, but simultaneously restore and reinvigorate those neighborhoods. “We’ve heard from neighbors that they are proud to see these houses going up in their neighborhood,” shared Sarah. “It improves the look and feel of the street where lots have sat vacant for many years.”
Building Engagement
The Botany Hills project is unique. The People Leo initiative will bring nine new homes to one neighborhood, not only providing for needed housing, but also creating a community that can learn together and support each other on this homeownership journey. Homebuyers work alongside volunteers and staff during the construction of their homes.
Help Build Hope is excited to support this initiative. By providing panelized walls, these homes are one huge step closer to completion, while simultaneously saving money on the project and engaging even more volunteers in the effort.
“We are not aware of any other organization that does what Help Build Hope does,” praised Sarah. “They are great to work with, and we appreciate the systems they have developed to frame our walls accurately. Help Build Hope allows volunteers to connect with the mission of Habitat for Humanity in a new way. Having pre-built walls saves us both material and labor costs. We are able to build homes quicker with walls from Help Build Hope, which means we are able to partner with more families in our community.”
Inspiring Action
This project reaches further than the homes built, further than the neighborhoods expanded. As with all Habitat and Help Build Hope projects, the goal is to bring volunteers from all walks of life, from cities and towns across the region, together in service of something greater.
Sarah invites you to join in this effort, “Through the initiative, we hope to engage youth in our community and are connecting with schools and youth groups, but anyone who is inspired by the new pope is invited to donate or join us during one of our Pope Leo Open Build Days.”
Sign up to serve with Habitat here: https://habitatcincinnati.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/pope-leo-village
Interested in hosting a build event or partnering with Help Build Hope on a future project? Find out more and contact us at helpbuildhope.com
