Enterprise spoke with Shannon Nazworth, President and CEO of Ability Housing to learn more about their work to build flourishing communities in Florida:
Could you tell us about the work that you do at Ability Housing?
At Ability Housing, our mission is to build flourishing communities where everyone has a home. We accomplish this by providing quality, affordable housing to those in need, coupled with the services necessary for people to maintain their housing and thrive. We develop and manage affordable housing properties, specifically targeting often underserved populations — such as those experiencing homelessness, individuals with disabilities, extremely low-income families, and working families and individuals who simply cannot afford market rent rates. Advocacy is also a significant part of our efforts. We actively engage with policymakers and community leaders to push for policies that expand access to affordable housing and address the root causes of housing instability. Our goal is to provide immediate solutions and drive long-term change in the housing landscape. Through our efforts, we aim to create more than just housing; we strive to create stability, dignity, and a sense of belonging for all who call our properties home.
How are HUD Section 4 Capacity Building grants used at your organization? What do you hope to accomplish with this funding?
At Ability Housing, we strategically utilize Section 4 HUD Capacity Building funds to strengthen and expand our ability to develop and manage affordable housing. These funds are crucial in several key areas. First, we apply Section 4 funds to cover essential predevelopment costs for our pipeline of affordable rental housing projects. This includes site assessment and acquisition expenses, developing site plans and project concepts, and early-stage development activities.
Section 4 funding enables us to maintain and grow a robust pipeline of affordable housing properties. Today, we have five properties totaling 471 units under development. This growth is essential to meeting our communities' increasing need for affordable housing. Our focus is not just on increasing the quantity of housing but also on ensuring that the homes are well-integrated into the community and provide a supportive environment for residents.
Furthermore, the activities funded by Section 4 align with and support the implementation of other affordable housing programs. By leveraging the Section 4 resources, we are able to more effectively pursue our mission of developing and operating affordable rental housing that enhances the quality of life for residents and revitalizes communities across Florida. Our goal is to ensure that when these projects are complete, more individuals and families have safe, stable, and affordable homes and that our organization is even more capable of addressing the housing challenges that lie ahead.
What do you enjoy most about working at Ability Housing?
Making a tangible difference in people's lives gives one a profound sense of purpose and fulfillment. Knowing that our efforts help individuals and families move from uncertainty and hardship into homes where they can build a better future is incredibly rewarding.
I also deeply value our team's collaborative spirit. We are all united by a common mission, and there is a real sense of camaraderie and shared commitment among the staff. This supportive environment not only makes our work more effective but also more enjoyable.
Ability Housing has grown tremendously as an organization and developed numerous communities that serve as beacons of stability and hope for those in need.
I find great joy in seeing the long-term impact of our work. When we visit communities and properties we’ve developed over several years and see residents thriving, it’s a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. Our residents' stories of resilience and transformation inspire me to continue advocating for and developing affordable housing solutions.
How have the last 2-3 years challenged you at Ability Housing? What has been the hardest part of the experience for you at Ability Housing?
The past 2 – 3 years have had both challenges and opportunities for Ability Housing. As all real estate companies experienced, we have been at the mercy of increasing construction and labor costs and high interest rates, which have made projects that were financially viable just a few years ago very challenging. Securing additional resources to make projects that had been awarded funding “whole” was a major focus of our efforts. It greatly hindered our ability to tackle new projects; and put our nonprofit at risk. But, with perseverance and a lot of partners, we were able to ensure all of our projects proceeded.
We are also faced with dramatic increases in the cost of insurance. As an affordable housing provider, we cannot increase rents to offset the increased cost; this is putting many projects in an unprecedented financial position.
But the past 2 – 3 years have also provide tremendous opportunity for Ability Housing. After years of underinvestment, the State of Florida created a new financing resource to develop affordable housing; and is no longer sweeping the traditional state affordable housing resources for other purposes. This creates an opportunity for Ability Housing to secure financing for additional projects. To increase our capacity to access these resources, we received a $2.75 million Capital Magnet Fund grant and a $975,000 State of Florida grant to create an internal Affordable Housing Fund to provide the needed capital for pre-development expenses. We are leveraging these grants to secure impact investors and become a capitalized real estate firm. It is a very exciting time for our organization.
What have you learned in this unique and challenging time? Will you make any permanent changes going forward?
The challenges of the past few years have offered profound lessons in resilience, adaptability, and the importance of community. One of the most significant things I’ve learned is the critical importance of being flexible and responsive in the face of unexpected crises. Between the pandemic, its effects on the economy, and significant population growth coupled with its correlated impact on the housing market, Ability Housing and those we serve have had to be flexible and nimble in responding to what feel like ever-changing realities. This experience has underscored the necessity of having systems in place that allow us to quickly adapt to changing circumstances while continuing to fulfill our mission.
As we move forward, we plan to implement several permanent changes. One is maintaining the enhanced communication and collaboration practices we developed during the pandemic, especially with our residents. Ensuring our residents have an equal role in how we provide our housing and programs is critical to success.
Additionally, the experience has highlighted the importance of advocacy and policy engagement. The housing crisis exacerbated by the pandemic has shown us how vital it is to be proactive in advocating for policies that support affordable housing and address homelessness. This will remain a permanent focus for us as we create systems-level change and ensure everyone has access to safe, stable housing.
What do you think will change about affordable housing over the next five years? How are you excited about Ability Housing impacting that change?
One of the most exciting changes on the horizon is the growing recognition of the importance of affordable housing as a foundational element of thriving communities. This has led to increased investment and more collaborative approaches to developing and preserving affordable housing.
At Ability Housing, we are thrilled to be at the forefront of these changes. We’ve seen our organization grow tremendously, with several new properties in both pre-development and construction stages. Our recent launch of the Ability Housing Affordable Housing Fund, seeded with a $3.75 million Capital Magnet Fund (CMF) Award and additional state funding, is a major milestone. This fund will enable us to maintain a robust pipeline of mission-aligned projects and accelerate the creation of affordable housing units in Northeast and Central Florida.
I am particularly excited about the partnerships we are forming with foundations, banks, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and philanthropic investors to expand this fund to $10.2 million. This will support our ambitious goal of developing 2,235 additional affordable housing units by 2030. These partnerships and the flexible capital they provide are essential as we work to create more housing solutions that meet the needs of low-income families and individuals.
Additionally, our involvement in projects like Vincentian Village, a $28 million development in partnership with St. Vincent de Paul CARES, is a testament to our commitment to increasing the capacity of other nonprofits to serve the most vulnerable populations, including the homeless, persons with a disability, and survivors of domestic abuse. This project not only provides 73 apartments but also offers comprehensive wraparound services, ensuring that residents have the support they need to thrive.
What else should people know about Ability Housing?
Ability Housing is much more than a developer of affordable housing; we are a nonprofit organization deeply committed to creating sustainable communities where residents can thrive. Our holistic approach to affordable housing sets us apart, which goes beyond simply building units. We integrate supportive services that address the diverse needs of our residents, whether that’s access to healthcare, mental health support, job training, or education. This commitment to providing a comprehensive support network helps ensure that our residents have a place to live and the resources they need to build stable, successful lives — however, they define success.
Our focus on advocacy is a cornerstone of our work. We understand that to make lasting change, we must influence the policies and systems that affect housing affordability. Whether through our involvement in local, state, or national advocacy efforts, we strive to ensure that the voices of those we serve are heard and that policies are enacted to support affordable housing development and curb the rising rates of homelessness.
In essence, Ability Housing is unique because we view housing as a platform for success, not just a basic need. We are dedicated to creating communities that uplift and empower their residents, ensuring that everyone can lead a stable, fulfilling life.