Ability Housing broke ground May 13 for a 90-unit affordable workforce apartment community in West Jacksonville.
The Village at Cedar Hills apartments will be built on 7.35 acres near Harlow Boulevard and 103rd Street east of Interstate 295. Construction costs are projected to be nearly $30.8 million.
It is expected to be completed in 18 months. Elkins Construction of Jacksonville is the contractor. Group 4 Design is the architect. Kennedy Civil Services is the civil engineering firm.
Ability Housing is a Jacksonville nonprofit developer of affordable multifamily housing. It serves Northeast and Central Florida and will soon expand into the Tampa area.
The Village at Cedar Hills will have 72 units for residents who earn up to 60% of the area’s median income, according to data gathered annually by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The remaining will be available to those earning up to 30% of the area’s median income.
The median household income in Jacksonville is $70,533, according to jacksonville.gov.
During the first three years, 18 units will be used by crisis service providers. The program offers emergency, in-patient and other acute care services. It also will offer budgeting advice, job placement services and nutrition education.
“If they’re having a challenge or if there’s a problem, all they do is knock on the door and we’ll help them find a solution,” said Shannon Nazworth, Ability Housing president and CEO.
“But we do focus on case management for persons with disabilities that need supportive housing support.”
There will be three residential buildings with 36 one-bedroom, 45 two-bedroom and nine three-bedroom apartments.
There will be a community center, computer lab, a library and space for events, training and workshops. There will be a dedicated walking trail and a playground.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said that by the end of 2025 there should be 3,000 more rehabilitated or newly constructed affordable housing units in the city. But the shortage remains.
“And still we’re way behind. We’ve got to keep going with the purpose. The work in this realm is far from finished,” Deegan said.
“We are still 35,000 units short of the affordable housing we need in Jacksonville. More than 50% of our renters are considered house burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their annual income on housing.”
Financing came from local, state and federal sources. The city provided $1 million from its Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The Corporation for Supportive Housing provided a $1.45 million predevelopment loan. EverBank is loaning the project $16 million. The Florida Housing Finance Corporation awarded $7.2 million in HOME Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program funding and $1.835 million from the National Housing Trust Fund.
Raymond James is syndicating $17.736 million in tax credit equity for EverBank. The Local Initiatives Support Corp. is contributing $50,000 for predevelopment work.