JACKSONVILLE, FL - Ability Housing, a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, plans to transform the vacant Lake Forest Elementary School, located at 901 Kennard Street, into a thriving community asset.
Shuttered in 2019, Lake Forest Elementary now sits as an unused and unoccupied property within the Lake Forest neighborhood. Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) approved a proposal from Ability Housing to redevelop the property into a garden-style apartment community with up to 180 units, including a combination of market-rate and affordable rental units for working families; 25% of the units will be reserved for DCPS personnel. Eighty percent of the units will be affordable to households earning 60% of the Area Median Income or less, or up to $32,820 based on 2019 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to work with Duval County Public Schools and the community to reimagine this property’s service to the neighborhood,” said Shannon Nazworth, President & CEO of Ability Housing. “This is the first time a project like this has been done in Jacksonville. We are committed to creating housing that DCPS personnel and other working families will be proud to call home.”
Redeveloping the Lake Forest Elementary property into an apartment community will provide a transformational buffer between Edgewood Avenue’s commercial corridor and nearby houses within the neighborhood. With Ability Housing’s expertise as a nonprofit developer, the organization can provide community-focused amenities beyond what a traditional developer would typically offer — including space for an early learning center to serve families across the Lake Forest community.
The targeting of units affordable to DCPS personnel will be an additional tool in recruiting new teachers and education professionals to the community.
“When we have to close old schools, our main goal will be to ensure that the buildings do not become blight in the community. We have budgeted to remove these buildings if necessary, but this Ability Housing project is a good example of a reuse project for a site like this. If approved, it will help provide more affordable housing for the community, as well as for future teachers and other employees,” said Paul A. Soares, Assistant Superintendent of Operations for Duval County Public Schools.
Ability Housing will design the property to support the health and wellbeing of its residents and the surrounding community. All of the organization’s properties in Duval County incorporate the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles, and the nonprofit requests regular reviews of its properties by JSO to ensure ongoing adherence to those requirements. Additionally, Ability Housing will pursue certification from the Florida Green Building Coalition, the state’s leading certifier of green homes, buildings, communities and local governments.
As it does at all of its properties, Ability Housing will partner with community organizations to provide onsite resident programming and services. These services could range from youth activities and job development, to budgeting and credit counselling so residents can prepare for potential homeownership.
Ability Housing routinely makes these programs available to community members, as well. The organization has held several meetings to gather input from residents in the neighborhood to determine what types of programs it may be able to provide based on the community’s needs and goals. For example, the early learning center would be open to residents of the property as well as families within the broader Lake Forest neighborhood.
The property is currently in the rezoning process. The City Council’s Planning Committee and Land Use and Zoning Committee have both voted in favor of the development; it will advance to a full City Council vote on November 23. Ability Housing has already begun seeking financing for the redevelopment, with the intent to begin pre-construction work as soon as possible following a successful closing.
“We are confident that City Council will see the value in our rezoning application, our commitment to being a good neighbor through our engagement with Lake Forest residents and the impact our development will have on the surrounding neighborhood,” said Nazworth. “Our portfolio of similar apartment communities demonstrates our commitment to delivering quality, affordable homes.”
About Ability Housing: Ability Housing is an industry-leading not-for-profit multifamily rental housing developer dedicated to creating high-quality affordable housing. We invest in communities through properties that enhance their surrounding neighborhoods, improve each community’s quality of life, and connect residents with a network of voluntary support services.