Ninety families have a new home this holiday season at the recently completed Village at Cedar Hills in Jacksonville, Florida.
Developed by nonprofit Ability Housing, the community features six units reserved for households exiting homelessness, and 18 units are dedicated to a pilot project designed to reduce residents’ reliance on emergency, in-patient, and other acute care services through a combination of stable, supportive housing, and comprehensive behavioral health care services. Officials say this approach has been shown to improve quality of life outcomes for residents and decrease overall public costs to the community by approximately 30%.
The pilot aims to help establish a replicable model for housing solutions that reduce homelessness, increase housing stability, and save costs on publicly funded systems of care.
“Last year, we broke ground on Village at Cedar Hills with a vision of creating a community where Jacksonville families could find stability, safety, and opportunity. Today, that vision is a reality,” said Reggie Fullwood, chair of Ability Housing’s board of directors. “Through our pilot program, this property and its residents will help shape evidence-based policies—both here in Jacksonville and across the housing sector.”
The community features three residential buildings comprising 36 one-, 45 two-, and nine three-bedroom apartments. Residents also have access to a community center with on-site leasing offices; a computer lab; a library; flexible spaces for workshops, training, and events; and outdoor recreational features, including a playground, fitness equipment, and a walking track.
Funding for the $30.7 million project was secured through various state, local, and private sources, including:
- The city of Jacksonville provided a $1 million grant of Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds;
- Corporation for Supportive Housing provided a $1.45 million predevelopment loan;
- EverBank financed a $16 million construction loan;
- Florida Housing Finance Corp. awarded $7.2 million in HOME-ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) and $1.9 million in National Housing Trust Fund funding;
- Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments syndicated $17.7 million in low-income tax credit equity for EverBank; and
- Local Initiatives Support Corp. provided $50,000 for predevelopment work.
Group 4 Design served as the project architect, with Elkins Construction as the general contractor and Kennedy Civil Services as the civil engineering firm.