Press Contact:
Natalie DeYoung
natalie@wearewingard.com
Multifamily development will bring 96 affordable rental apartments to Orlando
Sept. 3, 2026 — Orlando, Fla. — As leaders across Central Florida continue to focus on building more rental housing to meet rising demand, 96 new affordable apartment homes will soon be coming to the Pine Hills community in Orlando. Earlier today, representatives from Ability Housing, the City of Orlando, Orange County and other community partners broke ground on Village of Pine Hills, a new-construction apartment development designed to provide quality, affordable housing for local families.
The development is located on approximately nine acres at 5121 North Pine Hills Road. Site plans feature three three-story residential buildings comprising a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a clubhouse, recreation lawn, playground and pavilion. Amenities will include a community center with a computer lab, a library and flexible spaces for workshops, training and events. Residents will also have access to primary and behavioral health care and employment training through community partners, alongside individualized support from a dedicated, on-site case manager.
According to data from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the Greater Orlando area currently has only 13 affordable housing units for every 100 extremely low-income families. Within the 32808 zip code, which includes the Pine Hills neighborhood, the median hourly wage for a single adult is $14.05 — making access to affordable housing exceptionally difficult for extremely low-income households unable to pay market-rate rent.
Village of Pine Hills’ groundbreaking follows the opening of three new affordable housing communities in the area this year alone, demonstrating significant public, private and nonprofit investment into the Pine Hills neighborhood.
“This groundbreaking marks a significant milestone. Not only are we building a new community that will provide safe stable housing for nearly 100 families; we are also investing into the future of Pine Hills,” said Reggie Fullwood, CEO of Ability Housing. “The Village of Pine Hills represents the importance of partnership and vision. This project could not be done without the unwavering support from the City of Orlando and Orange County, which both stepped forward with solutions like fee waivers and funding recommendations to help get us to today’s groundbreaking.”
All units at Village of Pine Hills will be affordable to households earning up to 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI); four units will be set aside for those earning at or below 40% AMI, an additional 16 will be reserved for households earning up to 30% AMI and four units for households earning 22% AMI. Individual rents will be determined by household size and income, based on data updated annually by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The City of Orlando has been a proud partner of Ability Housing, providing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Community Investment Program (CIP) funding to support case management and permanent supportive housing services. The City worked to secure more than $1.1 million in impact fee waivers, and provided expedited permitting, to facilitate the construction of the Village of Pine Hills, through the Orlando Unlocked Initiative.
“The City of Orlando continues to work to ensure that residents and their families have access to safe, high-quality housing they can afford,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “The Village of Pine Hills shows what we can accomplish when the public, private and nonprofit sectors work together to address our region’s affordable housing needs, as well as the unique personal needs of the individuals and families that will call this community home. We are grateful to Ability Housing for their partnership and commitment, as we work together to create opportunities for our residents to thrive.”
“Providing affordable housing is paramount to the well-being of our residents,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings at the groundbreaking event. “This new 96-unit affordable housing development is a welcome addition to Orange County. It will provide low-income and extremely low-income residents with safe, quality, and affordable homes, while connecting them to essential services and resources. Today’s groundbreaking is proof that progress happens when community leaders come together.”
Village of Pine Hills is Ability Housing’s fourth affordable housing community in the Central Florida region since the nonprofit was invited to expand its mission to the area in 2015. This development will be part of Ability Housing’s Central Florida Villages Program, which also includes Village on Mercy, Gannet Pointe and the Wayne Densch Apartments. Together, these properties represent more than 320 affordable homes for individuals and families in the Orlando area — and the addition of Village of Pine Hills will further expand that impact.
“Pine Hills is one of Orlando’s oldest and most treasured communities. This project meets an important need by providing quality affordable housing for the local families who make up the fabric of Pine Hills,” said Roger Chapin, District 3 Commissioner for the City of Orlando’s City Council. “Today’s groundbreaking is an exciting moment, with public, private and nonprofit partners coming together to support a neighborhood that remains accessible for its residents. It marks a major step toward ensuring that Pine Hills continues to be a great place to live, work and play.”
Financing for the $35.7 million development includes a mix of state, local and private sources. JPMorganChase is providing a $16.9 million construction loan, and the Florida Housing Finance Corporation is providing $7.7 million in funding through the State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) program alongside $956,000 through the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF). Approximately $250,000 in Capital Magnet Fund (CMF) support was secured through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund. The project was also awarded $2.7 million in annual Low Income Housing Tax Credits, which resulted in a $22.5 million equity investment from a nonprofit syndicator, National Equity Fund. Orange County has also been supportive throughout the development process with the potential for additional project funding pending.
“We’re proud to provide the construction financing for Village of Pine Hills, helping deliver quality affordable units for individuals and families in Orlando,” said Laura Myers, Vice President, J.P. Morgan Community Development Banking. “At J.P. Morgan, we believe strong communities create opportunity and stability. This development responds to the urgent need for supportive housing across Central Florida and pairs on-site services that offer real pathways to stability for residents. Together with Ability Housing and our public and private partners, we’re helping build a stronger Orlando for years to come.”
Construction for the Village of Pine Hills is anticipated to take approximately 20 months. Group 4 is the project architect and McCree General Contractors & Architects is the general contractor. George F. Young is the civil engineering firm.
Leasing details will be available closer to completion. For information about Ability Housing’s additional work throughout Florida, visit AbilityHousing.org.
###
About Ability Housing:
Ability Housing is an industry-leading not-for-profit multifamily rental housing developer dedicated to creating high-quality affordable housing. We invest in communities through properties that enhance their surrounding neighborhoods, improve each community’s quality of life, and connect residents with a network of voluntary support services.
For more information, visit abilityhousing.org, like the organization on Facebook (facebook.com/AbilityHousing) and follow on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/ability-housing/).
About Orlando Unlocked:
Orlando Unlocked is the city’s comprehensive housing initiative designed to tackle the housing shortage while providing quality housing options for residents at every income level, through a robust development pipeline. Designed to unlock new opportunities for development by modernizing zoning, streamlining approvals and offering real incentives, this initiative makes it easier for developers to deliver the diverse housing options our community needs.