Southwick Commons, a 192-apartment community at 520 Brighton Ave. in Apopka, holds its grand opening on Tuesday, November 17, at 10 a.m., with Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings, Apopka Mayor Nick Nesta and Wendover Housing CEO Jonathan Wolf cutting the ribbon. The apartments are priced for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area's median income, with rents starting at $1,103 a month.

It is the fifth affordable community backed by Orange County's Affordable Housing Trust Fund to open in 2026, Orange County, Florida, said in announcing the ceremony.

Who the apartments are for

Southwick Commons was developed by Wendover Housing Partners, based in Altamonte Springs. All 192 units are set aside for households between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income, and 29 of them are reserved for extremely low-income households, those earning at or below 30 percent. The county's announcement puts the starting rent at $1,103 a month.

The trust fund was set up for this range of renters. Orange County created it under Mayor Demings' Housing for All initiative to build and preserve rental and ownership housing for very-low-, low- and moderate-income households, and in 2024 county voters approved extending the program permanently.

What is on site

The county lists the community's shared features as a pool, a picnic pavilion with barbecue grills, a fitness center, an activity field for soccer and outdoor events, a business center, a community garden, a community activity room and a community gourmet kitchen. The apartments come with modern appliances.

How it was paid for

Orange County put $2 million into the project from its Affordable Housing Trust Fund and waived $1.3 million in impact fees. It also directed $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan money to Southwick Commons.

The trust fund has had a busy year. Before Southwick Commons, four other communities it supported opened in 2026: the 104-unit Enclave at Canopy Park, the 192-unit Whispering Oaks, the 156-unit Barnett Villas and the 90-unit Residences at Emerald Villas. With Southwick Commons, that comes to 734 new apartments across the five. The county's Housing for All page carries an interactive map of the projects it has supported across Orange County.

Where it is

Brighton Avenue is in central Apopka, the city in northwest Orange County known as the Indoor Foliage Capital of the World and as the road to Wekiwa Springs. The ribbon cutting is at the property, 520 Brighton Ave., Apopka, FL 32703, at 10 a.m. on November 17. Questions about the county's role go to Orange County's public information office at PIO@ocfl.net.

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