Disabled Vet Gets New Home

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The dream of home ownership has come true for a Lexington family on this Veterans Day.  Home Builders Care, the charitable arm of the Home Builders Association, the Lexington Housing Authority, and other community partners were on hand Monday to officially dedicate the new home in the Equestrian View neighborhood for disabled veteran Kenyatta Johnson.

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"It's been about a year's time now...and I've been out here every day to check on the build myself, just monitoring the progress.  It's been a wonderful experience", Kenyatta Johnson told WUKY.

Johnson, who served in the Marines through two hardship tours and several humanitarian assignments, is pursuing a degree in vocational counseling at the University of Kentucky.  He hopes to eventually put those skills to work counseling returning veterans at the Lexington VA.

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Credit Alan Lytle

Disabled Vet Kenyatta Johnson speaks to the media from the garage of his new home in the Equestrian States subdivision. To his right is Lexington Mayor Gray, Vice Mayor Linda Gorton, and First District Councilman Chris Ford.

Home Builders Association Executive Vice President Todd Johnson, no relation, says there’s a generation of young Americans that will need the community’s help to get ahead.

"We have so many veterans returning to our community and to the state and the United States from their services abroad and Kenyatta is just one example of many who need our help here at home to get them transitioned back to civilian life", Johnson said.

Home Builders Care hopes to do more of these projects in the coming years.