$1.5M renovation brings new housing to Port Charlotte

A $1.5 million renovation has transformed a hurricane-damaged building in Port Charlotte into nine apartments for low-income residents with disabilities, expanding affordable housing options in Charlotte County. 

County officials and representatives of Community Assisted and Supported Living Inc., or CASL, gathered Oct. 9 to celebrate the completion of Stillwater, a 6,000-square-foot building at 21350 Stillwater Drive in Port Charlotte. 

CASL CEO Scott Eller and his wife, Heather, welcomed guests and led tours of the renovated property, which features nine one-bedroom apartments ranging from 500 to 600 square feet. 

Each apartment has a private kitchen with granite countertops and white cabinetry, an accessible bathroom, a living room and a bedroom. The larger units can accommodate couples, while residents share a laundry room and community lobby. 

The project marks another transformation for a building that has served several purposes over more than five decades. 

According to CASL Chief Operating Officer Phillip J. Brooks, the building was constructed in 1970 as a cloistered retreat and monastery affiliated with the local Catholic Diocese. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the property was owned by St. Joseph Hospital, now AdventHealth Port Charlotte. 

After Hurricane Charley struck in 2004, the property changed hands several times. Charlotte County acquired it from Restoration Roads Ministry in 2009, and the building later operated as Stillwater House, providing supportive housing for homeless and at-risk veterans through organizations including Volunteers of America and local housing partners. 

CASL eventually assumed responsibility for the property, but Hurricane Ian severely damaged the building in 2022, tearing off its roof and leaving it uninhabitable. 

At the time, the facility contained 15 small residential units with a shared kitchen and common living area. Residents were forced to relocate, prompting Eller and his team to reconsider how the property could better serve the community. 

Rather than restore the original configuration, CASL undertook a complete renovation to create larger, self-contained apartments offering residents greater privacy and independence. 

The nonprofit invested $1.5 million in the redevelopment, with financial assistance from Charlotte County through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, or SHIP, and Hurricane Housing Recovery loan programs. 

Charlotte County Commission Chair Joe Tiseo praised the redevelopment during the ceremony, recognizing its contribution to addressing the county’s affordable housing needs. 

Applications for the Stillwater apartments are being accepted and reviewed. To qualify, applicants must earn no more than 50% of the area median income. 

A mission rooted in personal experience 

The Stillwater redevelopment is the latest project for Sarasota-based CASL, which provides affordable and permanent supportive housing for adults with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions. 

Founded in 1998, the nonprofit operates in 10 Florida counties. Eller said CASL currently provides approximately 2,300 housing units, with another 1,300 under construction. 

The organization’s beginnings date to Eller’s college years, when he met Heather, who asked him to help a fellow student with disabilities. That experience helped shape what would become a lifelong commitment to serving people with special needs. 

Eller said his Christian faith also influenced his decision to abandon plans for dental school and move to Sarasota with Heather. Together, they set out to establish a nonprofit dedicated to providing housing for people with disabilities. 

The couple married and spent years building the organization, often facing financial challenges as they pursued their mission. 

During their first five years, the couple earned a combined income of $23,000, Scott Eller said. 

CASL launched its first housing development, Renaissance Manor, in Sarasota. In those early years, the Ellers stretched every dollar to furnish apartments for residents. 

“We bought $5 dressers and restored them,” Heather Eller recalled. 

Over time, CASL expanded through partnerships with local governments, grants and private donations, allowing the nonprofit to acquire and develop housing for people who might otherwise face homelessness. 

Its mission remains focused on providing safe, affordable housing while helping residents achieve greater independence and self-sufficiency. 

CASL also has partnered with affordable housing developer Blue Sky Communities on other projects in Charlotte County. 

In 2023, the organizations opened Jacaranda Place in Port Charlotte, a $20.2 million development serving people with disabilities, low incomes and those experiencing homelessness. 

The development received $300,000 in SHIP funding, an additional $536,000 contribution from Charlotte County and $236,000 in fee waivers. 

As the Ellers prepared to return to Sarasota following the Stillwater ceremony, Scott Eller reaffirmed the nonprofit’s commitment to expanding housing opportunities for vulnerable residents throughout Florida.