Bridgeway Center and its partners broke ground Friday on Willow Way Village, a 72-unit affordable housing development on Lewis Street in Fort Walton Beach that will serve veterans, individuals with disabilities, and low-income residents across two sites.

• The permanent supportive housing program represents a five-year collaborative effort between Bridgeway Center, Archway Partners, Cadence Bank, and multiple government entities, with funding from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

“Today marks not just the start of construction, but the start of renewed hope, stability, and the opportunity for individuals in need,” said Bonnie Barlow, CEO of Bridgeway Center. “This project will provide 72 units of safe, stable homes with wraparound supportive services, helping residents move from crisis to stability and from surviving to thriving.”

Half the units will be reserved for permanent supportive housing serving unhoused individuals, veterans, and those living with disabilities. The remaining apartments will be available for people making between 22% and 60% of the area median income, with some units leasing as low as $326 per month — a big contrast to market-rate apartments renting for $1,200 to $2,000 monthly in the area.

• The development will feature brand-new studio and one-bedroom apartments with granite countertops, LVT flooring, stainless steel appliances, and wood cabinets. On-site supportive services will include healthcare referrals, job training, and counseling.

Rep. Patt Maney, who has worked with Bridgeway since 1989, emphasized the project addresses multiple community challenges simultaneously.

“All of us know our community, like every community in this country, has problems with challenges with affordable housing, homelessness, mental health, and I’ve worked on all of those things,” Maney said. “This is a major step. It’s a perfect public, private, non-governmental, nonprofit community solution. I couldn’t be more proud to be here.”

Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel, a licensed clinical social worker with over 40 years of experience, said the project honors a legacy of community care.

• “I live in a community that cares and wants to make a difference,” Ketchel said. “We’re going to see great things and greater things still. The mental health diversion program that Representative Maney and I and Mel Ponder worked on when he was in the State House — that’s a place for people who have another choice besides going to jail, but they need a place to live, and this is going to be part of that step.”

Major Kevin Kirkpatrick, board chair of Bridgeway’s Board of Trustees and an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy with 28 years of experience, said lasting change requires collective action.

“After 28 years of experience, my perspective has taught me one thing, and that’s lasting solutions only come when a community comes together to solve problems on our own,” Kirkpatrick said. “We’re here committed to provide compassionate, professional care with dignity to those who need it. This is not just a groundbreaking event. It’s about breaking barriers. We’re building a stronger, healthier future for our community.”

Archway Partners, which builds affordable housing throughout Florida, will develop the property Bridgeway has owned. The company’s representative noted Okaloosa County has been supportive of the development, unlike many jurisdictions where they encounter roadblocks.

Research shows stable housing reduces hospital visits, lowers incarceration rates, and improves health outcomes while strengthening communities and making better use of public resources, according to remarks by Larry McFarland, Bridgeway’s chief clinical officer.

• Additional partners include the Fort Walton Beach Housing Authority, One Hopeful Place, and RBC Capital. Jami Searle of Cadence Bank said the project aligns with the bank’s vision of helping people, companies, and communities prosper.

The ribbon cutting will take place once construction is complete and units are ready for occupancy.

“Your leadership, commitment, and collaboration are the foundation on which our community will rise and address our needs of homelessness,” Barlow said. “We could not do this without our partners.”