  We obtain new HI and $^{13}$CO images around Supernova Remnants (SNR) Kes 69
and G21.5-0.9. By comparing HI spectra with $^{13}$CO emission spectra, we
significantly revise the kinematic distance for Kes 69 to $\sim$ 5.5 kpc, which
was 11.2 kpc, and refine the kinematic distance for G21.5-0.9 to ~4.8 kpc. For
Kes 69, the highest velocity of absorption is ~86 km/s and a prominent HI
emission feature at ~ 112 km/s has no respective absorption. These new results
suggest that Kes 69 is associated with a newly detected extended 1720 MHz OH
maser at velocity of ~85 km/s that originates from within the bright southern
radio shell of Kes 69. For G21.5-0.9, the highest velocity of absorption is ~67
km/s. The HI absorption spectra of the nearby bright source PMN J1832-1035 and
of Kes 69 show a common absorption feature at velocity of ~69 km/s, which is
not seen for G21.5-0.9. The resulting velocity of ~68 km/s gives the best
distance estimate of ~4.8 kpc for G21.5-0.9 and associated young pulsar
J1833-1034.
