LAKELAND, Fla. — New affordable housing units are coming to Lakeland in 2020.
- Housing Authority: "Severe" shortage of affordable homes
- Apartments will be mix of Section 8, public housing, tax-credit units
- It's 1st new multifamily units by Housing Authority in over 20 years
Crews contracted by the Lakeland Housing Authority have begun to tear down the old West Lake public housing apartments near downtown Lakeland in preparation for the construction new of multifamily affordable housing apartments.
"There's a severe shortage of affordable housing, and this is one step in addressing that particular need. For every 10 families that needs an affordable housing unit in Lakleand, there's only three affordable units available," explained Ben Stevenson, CEO of Lakeland Housing Authority.
In this second phase of the agency's massive redevelopment project, there will be one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, and 132 units in all. They will be in eight, three-story buildings.
"You'll have carpeting, internal heat and air, garbage disposals, modern electrical units, and the like. So it's going to be a complete facelift," Stevenson said.
The units will be a mixture of public housing, Section 8, and tax-credit units reserved for very low, low, and moderate-income families and individuals.
The maximum income limits for all units are 80 percent of the average median income in Lakeland, which is around $42,900 for a family of four and $30,050 for an individual.
Stevenson said he expects the new units to fill up fast.
"Most definitely. There's a great need for affordable housing here, and this is the first new multifamily (units) being built by the Housing Authority in over 20 years," Stevenson said.
The project was delayed because of the government shutdown and rising construction prices due to tariffs, but Stevenson said the group has finally gotten the ball rolling on this $21.1 million project.
The Housing Authority hopes to open up applications at the end of summer 2020 and have people move in by December.
The Lakeland Housing Authority is also working on securing funding for a third phase of the redevelopment project, where it hopes to tear down more old units and build 80 new ones, also reserved for affordable family housing.