Sanford Housing Authority amends CNI plan: proposes rental focus and phased senior, family buildings

Sanford staff brought an amendment to the city’s Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) plan on Sept. 22 to allow the Sanford Housing Authority and development partner Wendover Housing Partners to revise the Castleborough Court redevelopment from a primarily single‑family homeownership plan to a mixed plan that emphasizes rental housing.

Nicole Osborne, the city’s Community Relations and Neighborhood Engagement director, said the housing market and funding landscape have changed since the CNI plan’s adoption and that the Sanford Housing Authority has proposed an alternative site plan. The original CNI concept called for roughly 90 to 110 homeownership units; the revised plan would build about 160 multifamily rental units and 14 to 40 homeownership units, depending on final design and phasing.

Housing authority representatives and Wendover staff told the commission the rental buildout would likely occur in two phases: an 80‑unit senior building followed by an 80‑unit family building. The first phase will include an office and clubhouse and intends to include amenities similar to other Wendover projects (pool, clubhouse and possibly a water feature). Melvin Philpott of the Sanford Housing Authority and Ayuk Fleming, the acting executive director, said Wendover has experience developing and managing similar properties and that a public CAP (citizen awareness and participation) meeting produced no community opposition; the CAP meeting reportedly had about 10 attendees drawn from people directly affected by the project.

Officials described funding that is partially in place: Wendover and the housing authority have approximately $10 million in initial funds for a first phase at a related site (Cowen Moten/Carris Brook reference), anticipated 4% low‑income housing tax credit bonds and project‑based vouchers committed by the Orlando Housing Authority. Staff emphasized that funding for the original single‑family homeownership buildout is not currently available: construction, land and subsidy needs would require substantially larger public subsidy, and federal CNI funds are limited nationwide for the current funding cycle.

Staff recommended the commission approve the amended CNI plan for Castleborough Court to allow redevelopment with a greater rental component given available funding and the project’s long vacancy (about 10 years). Commissioners voiced disappointment that the amendment shifts away from the original homeownership emphasis but recognized the practical funding constraints and welcomed Wendover as a partner. No formal vote was recorded at the work session; staff recommended approval and housing authority and developer representatives offered to answer additional questions as the project moves toward entitlement and permitting.

Ending: Staff said they remain committed to pursuing homeownership opportunities where funding allows (for example, a small homeownership component at Georgetown Square) while moving forward with the phased rental redevelopment at Castleborough Court pending final design and funding commitments.