A lot can happen over fifty years—and the partnership between Borror Development and the Catholic Diocese of Columbus is a testament to that.
What began as a shared commitment to affordable senior housing has resulted in decades of meaningful impact: creating, operating and reinvesting in housing communities that help older adults remain safe and independent at home.
“There’s trust that has been built over time between Borror and the Diocese because the mission is the same,” said JL Dowell, Vice President of Senior Living at Borror Development.
A Relationship That Has Evolved
In the 1970s, Don Borror began working with the Diocese and its Bishop to develop and manage affordable senior housing communities through HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program.
In the decades since, Borror has continued to care for those communities while its role in the partnership has grown far beyond property management. Today, the Borror Development team supports the Diocese through long-term operations, resident services, financial reporting, maintenance planning, regulatory requirements, and development opportunities.
This hands-on stewardship allows the Diocese to remain closely informed while trusting Borror to manage the details that affect residents and properties every day. The Borror Development team meets regularly with Diocese leadership to review operations, financials and development updates, ensuring both teams stay aligned as projects move forward.
“We meet monthly, go through the agenda and financials, and talk through what is happening,” JL explained. “The relationship works because we keep them informed.”
That said, at the core of the long-standing partnership is a mutual understanding that affordable housing is so much more than a completed building. It takes reliable operations, thoughtful planning, and a clear understanding of residents’ needs as they change over time. Together, those elements create a stable place where older adults can continue living independently with dignity.
Borror Development’s approach brings together experience from across the organization. Development professionals, property management teams, maintenance leaders, accounting staff and on-site employees each contribute a different perspective—allowing lessons learned from operating existing communities to inform how new ones are planned, designed and built.
Bringing Seton Portsmouth to Life
Seton Portsmouth represents the next chapter in that shared mission. Developed on the site of a former Catholic church in Portsmouth, Ohio, the project created an opportunity to put underutilized land back into service for the community.
Before moving ahead, Borror Development and the Diocese took a close look at the local market, demographics and need for affordable senior housing. The research confirmed what many in the area already knew: older adults in Portsmouth need more housing options that are both affordable and designed to support independent living.
Seton Portsmouth is expected to welcome its first residents in early 2027. The community will include 57 apartments for income-qualified adults aged 62 and older.
Interest has also been strong ahead of opening. Approximately 130 people are already on the interest list for the 57 available apartments—demand that underscores a broader challenge across many Ohio communities: older adults on fixed or limited incomes need more options that are both affordable and designed for aging in place.
For investors and partners, developments like Seton Square Portsmouth illustrate the importance of pairing new construction with experienced, long-term management.
A second phase of the project, which could add another 57 units, has been proposed. While its future will depend on funding and program approvals, the early interest points to a clear need for additional affordable senior housing in the area.
Designed Around Everyday Living
Seton Portsmouth was shaped by the people who will one day call it home. The Borror team’s experience operating and maintaining the existing properties helped ensure the development team considered what residents need not only on move-in day, but in the years that follow.
Every apartment will include a step-in shower, addressing a common accessibility challenge among residents in older communities with traditional tubs. Community spaces were also designed with accessibility in mind, including lower counter space for residents who use wheelchairs.
The project will include thoughtful details that can make daily life easier:
- Dedicated scooter parking with outlets for charging mobility scooters
- Raised garden beds where residents can spend time outdoors
- Accessible community spaces designed to encourage connection and participation
- Features that support residents as they age in place
These might not be flashy additions, but they are meaningful. They reflect lessons learned from operating senior communities and a focus on creating a home that continues to work for residents as their needs change.
“These aren’t just apartments,” JL said. “These are people’s homes.”
The People Behind the Work
While JL serves as a key point person between Borror Development and the Diocese, Seton Portsmouth is the result of a much larger team effort.
Borror’s district managers, maintenance supervisors, on-site teams, accounting staff and development professionals all contribute to the work required to bring a community from planning through long-term operation.
On the development side, that includes navigating the layered funding structures, compliance requirements, capital planning and financial analysis common to affordable housing. On the operations side, it means helping on-site staff address maintenance needs, resident concerns, and the ongoing work of maintaining welcoming, reliable communities.
“It takes all of us,” Dowell said. “There’s no way I could do it without everybody that I have.”
Continuing a Meaningful Mission
The Borror–Diocese relationship has lasted because both organizations recognize that housing is personal. For residents, an affordable apartment is not simply a unit within a development.
“People have birthdays there. They have their grandkids over. They have Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Dowell said. “These are homes. These are places that these people feel safe.”
Through their continued partnership, Borror Development and the Catholic Diocese of Columbus are helping ensure more older adults can remain rooted in a community they know—today, and for years to come.
To learn more about the project, visit Seton Square Portsmouth: Borror Development x Seton Development.