Teresa Sargeant
Key Points
- Southwick Commons opened 192 affordable apartments in Apopka, offering one- to three-bedroom units for income-restricted households.
- A 2022 legal dispute ended with a judge ruling that Apopka could not restrict the property's development by financing source.
- Monthly rents start at $1,103 for one-bedroom units and amenities include a pool, playground, community garden and Energy Star appliances.
A new affordable housing development has opened in Apopka, adding 192 apartments to the city’s housing inventory.
Southwick Commons, located at 520 Brighton Ave., is now leasing one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, according to information released by Wendover Management, which oversees the property.
The development is situated within Apopka’s City Center area, where residential, commercial and recreational projects have been under construction in recent years.
In a statement released with the announcement, Ryan von Weller, chief operating officer of Wendover Housing Partners, said the project was intended to increase the supply of affordable housing in Central Florida.
“Access to stable and dignified housing at an affordable price remains a challenge for too many families across Central Florida,” he said. “Southwick Commons was designed to help address that need while giving residents more than just a place to live. We’re creating a community where residents can feel comfortable, supported and proud to call home.”
Southwick Commons’ path to completion included a legal dispute between the developer and the city of Apopka. In 2022, the City Council voted twice to deny Southwick Commons’ requests to change the City Center’s amended redevelopment agreement, which called for luxury, nonsubsidized housing.
Wendover sued the city following the denials. In November 2022, Circuit Judge Emerson Thompson Jr. ruled in the developer’s favor, finding that state law prohibited the city from restricting development of the property based on the source of its financing.
The apartments are income-restricted. Orange County project documents state that of the 192 units, 29 are designated for households earning up to 30% of area median income, 120 for households earning up to 60% and 43 for households earning up to 80%.
The project comes as affordable housing continues to be a challenge throughout the Orlando metropolitan area. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2026 Gap Report, cited by the developer, the Orlando metropolitan area has 13 affordable and available rental units for every 100 extremely low-income renter households.
Monthly rents start at approximately $1,103 for one-bedroom apartments, $1,440 for two-bedroom units and $1,647 for three-bedroom units, according to the company.
Each apartment includes a dishwasher, range, microwave and a washer and dryer. Other features include island kitchens and Energy Star-certified appliances.
Amenities available to residents include a swimming pool, playground, business center, activity room, community garden, picnic pavilion and outdoor grilling areas.
The development was designed by Slocum Platts Architects and constructed by VCC, according to Wendover.
The community is currently accepting applications from prospective residents.