Florida Construction News staff writer
Ability Housing has broken ground on a $35.7-million affordable housing development that will bring 96 new rental apartments to the Pine Hills community in Orlando.
Village of Pine Hills is being built on approximately nine acres at 5121 North Pine Hills Road and will include three three-storey residential buildings with one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.
The project architect is Group 4, while McCree General Contractors & Architects is serving as the general contractor. George F. Young is providing civil engineering services. Construction is expected to take approximately 20 months.
The development will also feature a clubhouse, recreation lawn, playground and pavilion, along with a community centre containing a computer lab, library and flexible space for workshops, training and community events.
Residents will have access to primary and behavioural health care and employment training through community partners, as well as individualized support from an on-site case manager.
The project comes as Central Florida faces a shortage of affordable rental housing. National Low Income Housing Coalition data indicates the Greater Orlando area has 13 affordable housing units for every 100 extremely low-income households.
The need is particularly acute in the 32808 ZIP code, which includes Pine Hills, where the median hourly wage for a single adult is $14.05, according to the information provided by Ability Housing.
Ability Housing CEO Reggie Fullwood said the project will provide stable housing while supporting the broader Pine Hills community.
“The Village of Pine Hills represents the importance of partnership and vision,” Fullwood said. “This project could not be done without the unwavering support from the City of Orlando and Orange County.”
The City of Orlando provided Community Development Block Grant and Community Investment Program funding to support case management and permanent supportive housing services.
The city also secured more than $1.1 million in impact fee waivers and provided expedited permitting through the Orlando Unlocked initiative.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the project demonstrates how public, private and nonprofit organizations can work together to address affordable housing needs.
Orange County also supported the development, with the potential for additional project funding pending.
The $35.7-million project is being financed through a combination of state, local and private funding.
JPMorganChase is providing a $16.9-million construction loan, while the Florida Housing Finance Corporation is providing $7.7 million through its State Apartment Incentive Loan program and $956,000 through the National Housing Trust Fund.
The project also received approximately $250,000 through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Capital Magnet Fund.
The development was awarded $2.7 million in annual Low Income Housing Tax Credits, generating a $22.5-million equity investment from nonprofit syndicator National Equity Fund.
Village of Pine Hills will be Ability Housing’s fourth affordable housing community in Central Florida since the nonprofit expanded into the region in 2015.
The development will join the organization’s Central Florida Villages Program, which includes Village on Mercy, Gannet Pointe and the Wayne Densch Apartments.
The four communities will represent more than 320 affordable homes for individuals and families in the Orlando area.
