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Lindsey Touchette and Michael Puchalla Mary Jo Diegel, Michelle McLeod,
Representative Lauren Melo, PJ Smith at the launch
Ekos Allegro Affordable Senior Living Apartments
New Nonprofit Launches to

Unite Community for Accessing and Developing Attainable Housing Solutions
in Collier County

inding housing that is affordable has been a growing Michael Puchalla, who has more than 17 years of mortgage
problem in Collier County for decades; greatly impacting lending, financial counseling education and nonprofit, affordable
F the workforce, fixed income seniors and low-income housing management experience, will serve as Executive Director
residents. In the last two years, it became a crisis when Collier and CEO. He has held a leadership role with HELP since 2009
County experienced a 50% increase in rents, the highest increase and helped launch the CCCLT in 2020. Puchalla will remain in
in the nation, making homeownership for those struggling to get leadership roles for both organizations and will use his new role
to engage the community to amplify and support each nonprofit’s
by nearly impossible.
services.
Nearly 50,000 households are cost burdened, meaning they
United in Partnerships
spend more than 30% of their income on housing expenses; and
Through structured coordination and collaboration, The Housing
more than 24,000 of those households are deemed severely cost-
Alliance will work with private and public partners with the goal
burdened, spending more than 50% of their income on housing
to make much needed housing in Collier County a reality. Through
expenses. This growing crisis is impacting many facets of the
a series of events, The Housing Alliance will unite voices from the
community including local business retention and recruitment
community to have a collective and unified impact on solutions
efforts, the economy, traffic caused by commuters, homelessness,
to make housing affordable. Since launching in March, they have
and demand for already stressed social service agencies. already announced some successes:
The 2023 Collier County Community Needs Assessment • Secured start-up funding from the Collier Community
sponsored by the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation and the Foundation for consultants and salaries.
Collier Community Foundation, showed that 65% of respondents • Secured federal funding for Ekos Allegro, a new construction,
cited affordable and workforce housing as the county’s #1 priority, 160 unit apartment complex for seniors ages 62+ earning 60% of the
up from 45% five years earlier. area median income or less.
As policymakers, businesses, developers, funders and non- • Worked alongside essential worker groups such as NCH,
profits seek out the best way to solve the housing crisis for local Collier County Public Schools and The Greater Naples Chamber of
and aspiring residents, a new nonprofit has emerged. Commerce to provide staff surveys, housing navigation, education
Aligned for Housing Solutions and advocacy.
To help provide information, education and advocacy for • Partnered with NABOR to host a housing expo for the general
accessing and developing attainable housing solutions in Collier public and realtors.
• Hosted a Live Local Workshop for County staff and developers
County, two nonprofit organizations, Collier County Community
to discuss the challenges and opportunities to implement the new
Land Trust (CCCLT) and HELP, have aligned to launch The
law designed to increase the availability of affordable housing
Housing Alliance. The Alliance is a new, comprehensive, nonprofit
opportunities for Florida’s workforce.
envisioned to become the “go to” resource for housing in Collier
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, who championed Live
County, with a focus on workforce, lower income, and senior
Local, shared her enthusiasm for the launch. “I am so grateful for
housing.
the leadership of The Housing Alliance and to our community for
Through their formal affiliation, The Housing Alliance will
embracing the vision of the Live Local Act, and incorporating a
amplify and support the services provided by HELP which
holistic, broad based approach to workforce housing,” said Passidomo.
include a housing navigator program and HUD certified financial “Together, we can shut down affordable housing stereotypes and
counseling and homebuyer education, as well as the CCCLT create attainable housing options needed by the majority of our
which provides land acquisition and partnership opportunities for workforce, the backbone of Florida’s economy.”
affordable housing developments. To learn more, visit the thehousingalliance.org

Life in Naples | May, June, July 2024 43