Montgomery Road Lot: Bethany House + Urban Sites Update
Attendees at the May, 5th, 2026 Bethany House + Urban Sites presentation at the KHAC.
In early May, the Kennedy Heights Community Council (KHCC) and Kennedy Heights Development Corporation (KHDC) hosted a community meeting to discuss a potential affordable housing development opportunity for the recently cleared 1-acre parcel on Montgomery Road.
Representatives from Bethany House Services and Urban Sites shared an initial concept for an approximately 50-unit affordable housing development designed for families. The proposal was presented following several months of preliminary conversations between KHDC, Bethany House Services, and Urban Sites regarding whether the Montgomery Road site could meet the needs of their project.
The meeting was very well attended both in person and virtually, with strong community engagement throughout the presentations and Q&A session. Residents shared thoughtful feedback, questions, and concerns regarding a variety of topics, including building design, traffic and parking impacts, overall scale of the development, and the importance of ensuring the project fit within the architectural character and feel of Kennedy Heights. Community members also emphasized the desire for quality design elements, greenspace, sidewalks, and landscaping as part of any future redevelopment.
Overall, there was meaningful community support surrounding the need for additional affordable housing opportunities within Kennedy Heights, particularly for individuals and families who may no longer be able to afford to remain in the neighborhood.
Later in May, Bethany House Services and Urban Sites met with members of the KHDC Board to thank the organization and community for their time, engagement, and thoughtful feedback throughout the process. During that meeting, they shared that a contract they had submitted on a larger 3–4 acre parcel in Mt. Auburn, which they had not anticipated being accepted, was ultimately accepted. Because that site will allow them to serve significantly more families and better accommodate the scale of their development goals, they have decided to move forward with the Mt. Auburn location instead of the Montgomery Road site.
While this particular opportunity will not be moving forward in Kennedy Heights, KHDC and KHCC remain committed to continuing conversations around thoughtful redevelopment, affordable housing opportunities, and projects that align with the priorities identified by residents in the 2022 Neighborhood Plan.
We sincerely appreciate everyone who attended the meeting, participated in the discussion, and shared feedback throughout this process. Please continue to follow our website, newsletter, and community meetings for future updates regarding development and neighborhood planning efforts in Kennedy Heights.
