A sprawling, 76-acre site perched above Covington could be reimagined soon.
When it opened in 1953 as Ida Spence Homes, the hilltop complex later known as City Heights offered federally subsidized housing for people who otherwise couldn't afford it.
At 366 units, City Heights was Northern Kentucky's largest public housing complex. It was home to generations of residents.
But over the decades, the buildings aged. Support for upkeep from the federal government decreased. And City Heights faced the need for more than $50 million in repairs to plumbing, electrical, climate control, gas, and structural systems.
The Housing Authority of Covington made the controversial decision to shut it down in 2021. The last resident relocated in 2024. Executive Director Steve Arlinghaus says it was necessary.
"It was terrible," Arlinghaus says. "People need better than what they were living in — better conditions."
Now the housing authority has opened a request for qualifications for developers who want to redevelop the land. But the organization has some ideas about what they'd like to see — something affordable and diverse in terms of housing options, and something developed by a local company or at least one with an understanding of Covington's needs and culture.
"We're not looking for multi-million-dollar homes up there," Arlinghaus says. "We're looking for something that will have a larger, broad-based community impact. So price points are important."
Arlinghaus says the housing authority undertook focus groups with people living around City Heights in Covington's Monte Casino, Peaselburg and Pointe Benton neighborhoods. Those residents told the organization they want housing affordable to a broad group of people and a neighborhood feel at the site.
"They're the ones who thought about the possibility of smaller retail opportunities, maybe even a restaurant," he says. "But they'd like to see a walkable community."
Arlinghaus says it's too early in the process to know exactly how that will take shape, or what price points exactly will be. The housing authority would like to see a mix of apartments and home ownership opportunities, he says.
The organization's request for qualifications is open until July 31. After that, the housing authority hopes to narrow down the selections to three finalists via a selection committee by October.
Generally, funds from the sale of federal public housing sites go back to the government. But the housing authority was granted permission to use the City Heights proceeds for further improvements, Arlinghaus says.
Proceeds from the sale of the land will be used to upgrade and maintain some of the housing authority's remaining 485 apartments at places like Latonia Terrace and Golden Tower.
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