SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — For many families in Seminole County, the “American Dream” is being replaced by a daily calculation of survival.
In a community where the average family now needs more than $86,000 a year just to afford the basics, many working residents are finding themselves priced out of their own neighborhoods. To address the crisis, Seminole County leaders have approved a *$1.05 million investment to help complete the Riverbend Landings Apartments in Sanford.
Located in Midway on SR-46, right across from the airport, the 146-unit complex is designed to be a lifeline for the “missing middle” families who earn too much for traditional assistance but not enough to keep up with skyrocketing rents.
For Sanford residents Gabby and Kevin Henry, the housing crisis isn’t a headline. It’s a daily burden. As a one-income household with two children, the Henrys say they are feeling the pressure of a market that seems to have no ceiling.
“It’s difficult. I am a housewife. I prioritize taking care of my children, so I need to do things like be creative with where my dollar goes,” Gabby Henry said. “We try and survive as best we can.”
With average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Sanford hovering around $1,800, families are making heartbreaking trade-offs.
“The thing I’ve noticed is people are prioritizing their rent,” Gabby noted. “During this last cold snap, my kids have classmates who don’t have jackets, because rent has to come from somewhere. If it’s a choice between having four walls and a roof or a jacket for your child, they’re picking four walls and a roof.”
The new Riverbend Landings project aims to change that math. Using a mix of local, state, and federal funds, the developer must cap rents at 30% of a household’s gross monthly income.
Bonnye Deese, Seminole County’s Community Services Projects Administrator, says this income-based model is essential for local stability.
“To have these units that are going to be priced at a point where it would fit within that family’s income level is key,” Deese said.
For the Henry family, who admitted they earn “considerably below” the $86,000 survival threshold, the possibility of an affordable unit represents more than just a roof. It represents the ability to breathe.
“It’s just what we make is what we spend,” Gabby said. “I miss the old prices of eggs, gas... I’m getting very creative.”
While the county faces a massive deficit in affordable units, officials hope Riverbend Landings will serve as a blueprint for future public-private partnerships.
Construction on the site is currently over 50% complete. Painting is already underway, and if everything stays on schedule, the first residents are expected to move in before the end of the year.
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