Several veterans getting homes of their own in Punta Gorda

It took a village and then some, but on July 1 several veterans will move into Villas on Scott, an affordable housing development in Punta Gorda that took years in the making.

The project has been an effort between nonprofits, the city of Punta Gorda, Charlotte County, private businesses and industry, foundations and individual donors.

Peace River Community Housing Partners, or PORCH, which spearheaded the project, and its partners joined forces to begin fundraising efforts after the request for proposal was issued in April 2021.

The goal was to raise $1.06 million. By August 2025, construction was well underway.

Estimated cost of the project is $1.3 million; 95% has been funded to date, said Denise Dull, director of marketing and operations for PORCH, a nonprofit that seeks to provide safe, affordable housing for the economically disadvantaged, including disabled veterans and the unhoused.

Dull stressed the need for more affordable housing in Charlotte County, which has a large veterans and senior population. “One in nine county residents are veterans,” she said.

With more than 40,000 veterans living in Charlotte County, and seniors 65 and older comprising about 40% of the population, the need for affordable housing is apparent.

According to the U.S. Census, seniors in 2026 comprise more than 81,000 of the total adult population and, of that number, more than 70% of seniors are on fixed incomes and in risk of housing instability, Dull said.

But for several veterans, their housing needs will be met when they move into their 900-square-foot, two-bedroom units at a triplex on Scott Street that’s near Lavilla Road and close to downtown Punta Gorda and Interstate 75. The units, which have rent capped at 30% of the tenant’s income, will be connected to city water and sewer, thanks to a new utility extension.

Because the area is a coastal high hazard zone, replacing septic systems with sewer service was a priority for environmental and infrastructure reasons. PORCH requested a sewer line extension through the Charlotte HOME application process, and after working with Punta Gorda Utilities and contractor Wal Tech LLC, funding was approved by the Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Two of the units will be occupied by single, male veterans, and the third will have two occupants who are also veterans.

Because there are steps leading to the units – being built at a 12-foot elevation to avoid flood risks – the vetting process to find eligible tenants looked at other factors in addition to income eligibility, such as being able to navigate steps, Dull said.

One of the donors, Bill Graham of Advon Construction, is matching donations, Dull said. The city of Punta Gorda and Charlotte County also provided $150,000 in matching funds.

The project might not have happened if it were not for the other donors: Elsa & Peter Soderberg Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Charlotte Community Foundation, Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners, DM Construction, Women Who Care, and Mosaic, an original funding partner.

Since it began, construction costs have risen, and the original cost estimate went from about $600,000 to more than $1 million, as building codes also changed.

Charlotte County needs more than 10,000 new housing units to meet population demands, according to PORCH data. Of those, more than 5,500 should be for residents earning less than 80% of the area median income.

Contributions can be made by sending a donation to Peace River Community Housing Partners, 21500 Gibralter Drive, Port Charlotte, FL, 33952.

PORCH also operates as a Community Land Trust, acquiring and renovating rental properties.