“Buen Vecino” is Spanish for “good neighbor.”
Friday in Buenaventura Lakes, there was also a French term in mind —“déjà vu”.
Just like they originally did in April 2023, partners from the city of Kissimmee, Osceola County and the Osceola Council on Aging gathered together on six acres of what used to be a golf course on Competition Drive in Buenaventura Lakes to announce progress on an affordable housing initiative geared to senior residents, particularly those on fixed incomes who are being priced out of the rental market.
While the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced its support for the project two years ago, work to secure funding by the Council on Aging is wrapped up, and a proper groundbreaking was held Friday.
“This journey has been a labor of love,” Council on Aging CEO Wendy Ford said. “In Osceola County nearly 14 percent of residents are 65 and over, and they face a new kind of challenge. The average rent is $1,650, and a majority of the seniors live on annual incomes of $20,000 to $50,000. Do the math. It’s clear, for far too many choosing between groceries and rent has become all too real.”
Buen Vecino will be targeted to the area’s lowincome seniors. It will include 60 apartments of 600 square feet to house one to two residents. To qualify for residency, applicants must be 62 years of age or older and earn no more than 50% of the area’s mean income. Rent will be HUD subsidized, as tenants will pay 30 percent of the income to rent the one-story, one-bedroom apartments. The development will include a community clubhouse that will host congregate meals and activities for the senior residents.
There are no application fees, but residents will be chosen on a lottery system. The development will include a community clubhouse that will host congregate meals and activities for the senior residents.
“Many of our seniors live on an income of less than $900 per month, far too little to cover basic needs,” Council on Aging Senior Vice President of Housing Angelica Rodriguez said. “The risk of homelessness is heartbreakingly real. This project is a lifeline, a vital step in granting our seniors safe housing.
Osceola County earmarked a $5.2 million investment in the project—which Commissioner Viviana Janer said she had to continue defending yearly—the HUD grant totals $5.6 million, and the city of Kissimmee is providing $500,000. The Council on Aging worked to come up with the rest of the $24 million price tag.
“Buen Vecino will be a lifelong, where our seniors can live in dignity, comfort and security. We believe growing older should come with perks, not panic,” said Ford, who noted the closing process on clearing ground took two years. “(Friday) was celebration for us.”
The first residents are expected in late 2026—so expect a ribbon cutting next summer down on Competition Drive.
“This project has been a journey,” said Congressman Darren Soto, who worked with Jose Alvarez, the former Kissimmee mayor and HUD regional director, on securing the federal grant. “Our seniors need this, and not a moment too soon.”
