LAKELAND, FLa. — Affordable housing is the number one priority for the City of Lakeland this upcoming budget year.
Midtown Lofts is the newest upscale affordable rental apartment community in Lakeland.
“A business center, we have computers for our residents. We also have a game room. We have the clubhouse here. We also have a fitness center and a media room,” said Amanda Steuwe, the Community Manager for Midtown Lofts.
Rent for the income-based apartments range between $385 to $1,150. All 80 units were leased within two months.
Katerria Goldwire is in love with her new two-bedroom apartment.
“All the appliances, everything is just beautiful. It’s spacious, clean, I love it,” Goldwire said.
The single mom of two struggled to find a quality apartment that was in her price range.
“Right now, it’s very hard to find, living in places that are comfortable for kids and kids-oriented. So, this worked out very well. It was honestly a blessing in disguise,” said Goldwire.
Midtown Lofts is just one of Lakeland's projects aimed at solving its affordable housing crisis.
The Lakeland City Commission unanimously approved increasing funding from $500,000 to $750,000 for affordable housing projects for the next fiscal year.
“Housing is where stability starts and we need to make certain that we’re making housing a high priority as a community,” Mayor Bill Mutz said.
Mutz said the goal is to add 500 new affordable housing units by the end of 2022, so that working families, the homeless and single moms like Goldwire have a home of their own.
