ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla., Sept. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wendover Housing Partners, a privately held real estate development, investment and management company, today announces it will build Central Florida’s first permanent supportive housing community.
The City of Sanford Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project on September 6, clearing the way for construction to begin in December.
The project, called Warley Park, will be an 85-unit multifamily affordable housing community for homeless families and individuals - including veterans - with a particular focus on the chronically homeless.
Warley Park will feature one, two and three-bedroom apartments. The property will have three buildings – one for single adults, one for families and a clubhouse that can be used for multiple purposes, including meals, fitness classes and meetings, as well as a classroom for educational programs. Warley Park will be new construction, built to the same specifications that Wendover Housing Partners uses for its affordable, senior housing and market-rate communities. Each apartment will feature full-size washer/dryers, ceiling fans, walk-in and linen closets, window blinds and kitchen islands.
Warley Park will be located at 1500 W. 25th Street in Sanford, Fla. The land is currently vacant and has been deemed a nuisance by the City of Sanford.
“Permanent supportive housing is a new concept in Florida,” said Jonathan L. Wolf, President and Founder of Wendover Housing Partners. “This will not be a homeless shelter. This will be a multifamily housing community with on-site services designed to break the cycle of homelessness for residents by allowing them to lead more stable lives through the Housing First model. We applaud the City of Sanford for taking this bold step to address the issues of homelessness and affordable housing.”
One of Wendover’s partners for Warley Park is Step Up on Second, chosen because they are the nationwide leader in permanent supportive housing, with a track record of more than 10 years of success. The non-profit group will provide on-site management and coordinate the on-site voluntary support services, including health care, vocational training, GED classes and life-skills classes.
A coordinated entry system will be used to approve Warley Park residents; the process will ensure that people are ready for permanent housing. Residents will utilize rental vouchers as payment, just as they would at other rental properties or motels. Warley Park will offer 12-month leases so residents can live in their homes as long as they wish, as long as they meet the obligations of tenancy.
“The Housing First model is proving to be the most effective way of serving people experiencing chronic homelessness, mental health issues and addictions,” said Tod Lipka, President and CEO of Step Up on Second and author of Creating Affordable Housing for Individuals with Mental Illness, A Step by Step Guide. “It produces much better outcomes for residents and long-term savings in the cost of shelters, incarceration and public resources that are used for people who are unsheltered and untreated.”
“Warley Park is an effort to provide some of the most vulnerable populations, including children, with a way to lead productive, dignified lives,” said Dr. Joel Hunter, vice chair of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness. “That can’t happen when people are living on the streets, in cars or in substandard motels.”
For additional information about Wendover Housing Partners, visit www.wendovergroup.com.
About Wendover Housing Partners
Headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Wendover Housing Partners, LLC is a privately held real estate development, investment and management company founded in 1995. As one of the Southeast’s premier housing companies, Wendover specializes in the development of multifamily communities, senior communities, student housing and transit oriented development. Wendover’s expansive portfolio of affordable and mixed-income developments demonstrates the company’s success in creating housing opportunities in a variety of economically and socially diverse neighborhoods.
Media Contact
Brianna Hayes
Uproar PR for Wendover Housing Partners
321.236.0102 ext. 237
bhayes@uproarpr.com