Universal Destinations & Experiences and Wendover Housing Partners hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for their new affordable housing community, Catchlight Crossings in November of 2023. Now, construction has begun on the Universal affordable housing project that will give back to the community where guests and Team Members live.
Catchlight Crossings
Catchlight Crossings is a new 20-acre community in the International Drive area near Universal Orlando Resort. It will feature 1,000 high-quality affordable apartment homes, on-site amenities and services, retail and play areas, and easy access to transportation. We first reported on the affordable housing site when Universal partnered with Wendover Housing Partners and set aside land back in 2021.
In addition to the amenities listed above, the community will include a tuition-free Bezos Academy preschool, educational opportunities in partnership with the University of Central Florida, medical offices, retail, community event space, and more.
A transportation center with buses, ride sharing and employer shuttles will make access to area employers more convenient for residents. Catchlight Crossings will also be near the proposed Sunshine Corridor, a new east-west rail line connecting SunRail’s main line to the Orlando International Airport and the Orange County Convention Center.
Affordability & Accessibility
The community is created through Universal’s Housing for Tomorrow initiative, which aims to “provide economically diverse housing options as part of our commitment to healthy communities” and address “the primary focus areas identified by our county leadership and will help provide innovative solutions that move our community forward – for everyone.”
Catchlight Crossings will remain an affordable community in perpetuity and is open to anyone who meets specific income and resident requirements. The majority of the units – 75 percent – will be designated as affordable and reserved for households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the area’s median income. Low-Income Housing Tax Credits are a component in financing the development of the community, therefore rents for those units will be set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The first phase of Catchlight Crossings is expected to open in 2026.
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