9 Investigates: Orlando affordable housing project pulled 2.5 years after groundbreaking

ORLANDO, Fla. — In January 2022, the ground was broken on 30 townhomes along Orange Center Boulevard in Washington Shores, but almost three years later, only the slabs were poured.

WFTV’s Channel 9 Investigates Team was contacted by one of the residents who thought she would be moved into the Townhomes of West Lakes by now.

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She asked us not to use her name, but said, “We never thought we could be able to afford something like this ever. Like a townhome with three walls, two bathrooms, and a two-car garage. We never thought we could afford this, but the way they presented it with the community land trust model, we’re like, okay, we can do that. We can do that. We can afford this because of how you have it set up with this type of program.”

She says the project was moving slowly, and residents realized something wasn’t right last year.

In July 2024, she received a letter from the Executive Director of the Hannibal Square Community Land Trust showing more delays.

The company told her and others that there was no date yet on when construction would start.

The letter to buyers states:

“We are working through several issues and have made progress, but I do not expect that this will move as quickly as any of us would like,” adding, “the hsclt board and i deeply regret the way this has progressed. We are still working to finish this project and feel confident that it will be completed.”

—  Hannibal Square Community Land Trust, Inc. 

But it won’t be. A little more than two months after this letter, another one said the project would not be built at all and they would refund her deposit.

“It is with deep regret that I tell you that we have reached no viable resolution to move this homeownership project forward. Our board and I have tried to work with the lender, GC, and other entities to address and resolve the issues over the past several months with no success.”

—  Executive Director, Camille Reynolds Lewis

Orlando City Commissioner Barkari Burns said, “They ran into some financial issues. The financing company is in the process of foreclosing, as I understand, on the developer, but we will ensure, the City of Orlando will ensure that affordable housing goes in that place.”

But that means little to the woman we spoke to and her family, “I was hanging in because I’m like, okay, just a little while longer, you know, and we’re going to be there. We’re going to have somewhere stable, and that’s not happening. So I had to go into Plan B, which is a one bedroom for me and my daughter and just try and save as much as I can until, I don’t know, the market does something that is not doing right now. So, who knows?”

The Hannibal Square Community Land Trust did not return our request for information or comment. It does have other properties listed as possible affordable housing sites. The homeowners did get their deposits back.

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