The first apartments of Walt Disney World’s affordable housing project are expected to be finished in 2026, the company says.
The development west of Disney World will open with 100 more units than previously announced, for a total of about 1,400 income-capped apartments.
Disney hopes to break ground on the complex next year.
“To be able to offer more units means even more Florida families will get access to attainable housing, in addition to creating new Florida jobs as part of the construction and operation,” wrote Rena Langley, senior vice president of communications and public affairs at Disney World, on the Disney Parks Blog.
Disney World President Jeff Vahle met this week with senior members from The Michaels Organization, the project’s developer and manager, to discuss the development, Langley said.
The announcement did not include further details about the complex, such as its name and anticipated rent rates.
Disney announced in April 2022 it was contributing 80 acres of its land in Orange County to build more than 1,300 affordable apartments in an area near the Flamingo Crossings Town Center.
Disney said the units were intended to address a critical shortage of affordable housing in the area and would be open to qualified applicants from the general public as well as Disney World employees.
Disney revealed in November it chose attainable housing developer The Michaels Organization to build and manage the privately financed development.
It followed Universal, which detailed its plans to build its Catchlight Crossings affordable housing complex in April 2021. Universal initially proposed the project in December 2019 while seeking tax money from Orange County to build a road to its upcoming theme park Epic Universe.
Catchlight Crossings, off Destination Parkway and east of the Orange County Convention Center, will include about 1,000 income-limited units, a tuition-free preschool and a health center across 20 acres of land contributed by Universal. Wendover Housing Partners is developing and will manage the community.
Wendover has said rental rates for the units will start at $466 a month. Universal has said the apartments will be open to the public and employees, though no units will be specifically set aside for theme park workers.
Disney and Universal join a growing number of businesses building housing for employees and the general public nationwide as real estate and rent prices have risen, an Orlando Sentinel analysis found earlier this year.
Company-sponsored developments increase housing options for typically low-wage workers but they need to be part of comprehensive wage and benefits packages, worker advocates have said.
Dollywood in Tennessee built a similar housing development for its student interns, international employees and county hospitality interns last year. Dollywood plans to build housing for regular employees in the near future.
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