City of Orlando Breaks Ground on Affordable Housing Efforts

Last updated on November 17, 2020

The City of Orlando Breaks Ground on Affordable Housing Efforts at Fairlawn Village

New Development Represents the Last Redevelopment of City Purchased Distressed Properties in 2015

November 17, 2020 - ORLANDO, FL – Today, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and District 5 City Commissioner Regina I. Hill joined Blue Sky Communities, LLC and CASL to break ground on Fairlawn Village, a $24 million 116-unit affordable housing apartment community with all units reserved for residents with incomes less than 60% of the Area Media Income (AMI).  Additionally, 20 units are designated as permanent supportive housing providing  casework services for people experiencing homelessness, survivors of domestic violence, people with a disability or youth aging out of foster care.

As affordable housing continues to be one of the most complex challenges facing cities today, the City of Orlando remains committed to ensuring that every person, regardless of economic status, has access to quality housing that is safe and affordable and has been working to develop short and long-term strategies to expand the city's housing inventory for residents at all income levels.  

To help accomplish this goal, five years ago, the city invested nearly $7 million to purchase seven vacant, foreclosed, uninhabitable properties in the greater Washington Shores and Mercy Drive areas, with a goal to transform these sites into safe, attractive and affordable housing for residents. 

Today, Tuesday, November 17, the city celebrated the groundbreaking of Fairlawn Village and the last of the parcels to be redeveloped from the 2015 purchase.   

“Rather than sell those properties on the open market, the city was deliberate in seeking private and nonprofit partners to help redevelop each parcel and fulfill our vision for affordable housing that would complement the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “Over the past five-years, together with our partners, we have turned these blighted sites into vibrant new communities that more than 600 families are proud to call home.” 

These new developments include:

• Village on Mercy, a $28 million 166-unit affordable apartment community developed by Ability Housing 
• Pendana at West Lakes, a $40 million 200-unit mixed-income multifamily community
• Pendana at West Lakes Senior Residences, a $23.5 million development 120-unit affordable apartment homes designated for our seniors. Both Pendana communities were developed by LIFT Orlando.  

Following that initial property purchase in 2015, the city’s original investment in the purchase of those properties has yielded more than $115 million in private investment or a return of nearly $16 for each dollar invested by the city.  

In total, over the last five years, the city has invested or committed more than $40 million to create or preserve housing options for residents at all income levels. This includes the construction or rehabilitation of more than 1,600 multifamily units and the construction of more than 150 new residences that provide opportunities for residents interested in pursuing the American dream of homeownership.   

Additionally, in this current fiscal year, the city committed $22 million more toward short and long-term affordable housing and this includes leveraging more than $14 million in federal and state funds to advance our housing goals.  

VISUALS:
For Fairlawn Village rendering photos, click here.
For new developments before and after photos, click here.

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