CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — Hundreds of affordable housing units have been built or preserved in Charlotte County over the past several years, but local officials and housing advocates say more work is needed to help families struggling with the cost of living.
Since July 2020, Charlotte County has contributed to the development of 145 new affordable rental units and the preservation of more than 300 existing units, making affordable housing available to 445 low-income households.
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However, a county housing study conducted in 2020 identified a shortage of approximately 5,500 affordable housing units. The county has since established a goal of developing or preserving 200 affordable housing units each year.
One of the latest developments is Blue Deep Creek, a $23 million affordable housing community on Luther Road in the Deep Creek area. Construction is complete on the first 70 apartments, and leasing is underway. The development includes nine one-bedroom apartments and 61 two-bedroom apartments, with monthly rents ranging from approximately $940 to $1,500.
The apartments are intended for households earning up to 80% of the area’s median income, with some units reserved for households earning 30% or less. Developer Blue Sky Communities plans to add another 70 apartments in a second phase, bringing the total to 140.
Port Charlotte resident Fred Anderson believes developments like Blue Deep Creek are especially important for younger workers and families trying to afford housing.
“That’s desperately needed for low income workers, such as people that work in the food industry, mechanics, and that kind of thing,” Anderson said. “We need more of them.”
Anderson said workers in lower-paying industries face difficult decisions when housing costs take up a significant portion of their income.
“They’re between a rock and a hard place,” Anderson said. “It’s either, you know, go into something that’s really not affordable and spend all your money paying rent and not being able to eat decent food or buy clothes or drive a car.”
Another affordable housing project recently opened nearby, providing homes for three military veterans. Peace River Community Housing Partners, also known as PORCH, completed a triplex that is now occupied by three veterans.
Denise Dull, the organization’s director of operations and marketing, said the project began in 2020 and faced several challenges along the way, including the COVID-19 pandemic and two hurricanes.
“We’ve sustained a pandemic and two hurricanes, and we finally finished and have three tenant, veteran tenants living in our triplex,” Dull said.
PORCH is a certified community land trust that builds and acquires affordable housing for extremely low-income and low-income households, with preference given to veterans. The organization also maintains five affordable rental homes in Port Charlotte, serving low-income families and veterans. Dull said those five properties were acquired through a surplus land donation from Charlotte County in 2020, and their rents will remain affordable permanently.
“With a roof over your head, you’re more easily adaptable to how you can feed yourself, how you can take care of your bills, and things like that,” Dull said. “When you’re struggling to even just where you’re gonna sleep at night, it creates a domino effect on so many other things.”
Dull said the need for affordable housing extends beyond people experiencing homelessness. Working families, older residents and young adults can also struggle to find housing within their budgets.
Charlotte County officials say multiple hurricanes have also affected the availability of affordable housing. According to the county, at least 150 affordable housing units were lost because of storm damage following the 2020 housing study and are still awaiting reconstruction. The county says another 106 affordable rental units are currently under construction or pending completion.
While the 2020 study identified a shortage of approximately 5,500 affordable units, officials say the need remains significant. A newer housing study was conducted in 2025 as part of the county’s 2026–2030 Consolidated Plan.
Charlotte County officials say they track affordable housing developments through annual rental monitoring. The process helps ensure properties receiving county assistance are maintained and remain available to eligible tenants throughout the required affordability period. The county also works with developers through financial assistance, permitting incentives and other programs intended to encourage affordable housing construction and rehabilitation.
Blue Deep Creek received approximately $1.8 million in government housing assistance through several programs, including state and federal housing funds. Dull said partnerships with local government are essential for organizations trying to develop affordable housing.
“There’s always, not just financial stability with the county, there’s permitting, there’s impact fees that can be worked with,” Dull said.
However, county officials say one of their biggest challenges is securing a permanent, recurring source of funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which helps finance affordable housing incentives and subsidies. Restrictions on how much State Housing Initiatives Partnership funding can be used for rental developments also present challenges.
“You wanna make sure that affordability remains and it’s not a short-lived opportunity for folks to have housing,” Dull said.