NFL star turned developer tackles Fort Myers affordable housing crisis

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Former NFL linebacker Jonathan Vilma never experienced housing insecurity growing up according to his mother Nelly, but she said his curiosity about inequality sparked a passion that led him to become a developer. He tells us that his plan is to transform Fort Myers' affordable housing landscape starting with The Arwyn.

Vilma is the developer behind the $85 million Arwyn development, set to be built on the site of the former Horizons Apartments. The project represents a collaborative effort between multiple agencies, organizations and his development company to address the community's critical housing shortage. The project is expected to be completed in late 2027.

"Fort Myers reminds me of Miami about 10 or 15 years ago," Vilma said during a recent groundbreaking ceremony. "It's a city that is on the rise. It's up and coming, and when you start to see the city grow naturally, what lags behind is affordable housing."

Vilma's mother, Nelly Bennett, said her son was always curious and involved in everything around him from an early age.

"From day one, he was always getting himself involved," Bennett said. "He had to put all of himself into things. He wanted to be in the mix, always."

That curiosity led Vilma to notice stark differences between his teammates' living situations while playing at Coral Gables Senior High School.

"I had a lot of my teammates from the rich parts of Coral Gables, and then there's this part that's not so rich," Vilma said. "When I came back in 2014, I saw all of the affluent parts of Coral Gables and neighboring Coconut Grove built up, beautiful, nice. And then all of a sudden, the place where a lot of my teammates and friends grew up, there was just nothing being done."

That realization sparked his transition from professional football to real estate development focused on affordable housing.

"It was wanting to know the why," Vilma said. "Why is this area not being developed? Why are no developers coming in and building housing here? Why has it been like this for the past 15 years?"

The same questions drove him to Fort Myers, where he saw downtown development but noticed the old Horizons Apartments remained neglected.

"Why is this still here?" Vilma said he asked local officials. "Why are you putting money, good money after bad, to put lipstick on a pig, when we could just knock this down?"

The Arwyn project represents a massive collaborative effort involving the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers, Lee County, the City of Fort Myers, and Vilma's development company, Trey Bell.

Marcia Davis, executive director of the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers, said the project became possible through unprecedented cooperation and funding.

"We have closed or opened $250 million of housing development in one year," Davis said. "That is $250 million infused into this economy, creating jobs, creating contracts, and more importantly, we're creating homes for families."

The funding structure includes a $40 million tax-exempt bond from the Lee County Housing Finance Authority, $20 million from Lee County's Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery program, and additional millions from the City of Fort Myers' Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane emphasized the project's broader impact on the community.

"When families come across stable, affordable housing, it creates ripple effects through our community, spanning education, workforce development, public safety and overall quality of life," Ruane said.

As the developer, Vilma ensured the 230 units would feature upgraded finishes including marble countertops, large windows, a clubhouse, business center and gym. He said the goal was to ensure people feel proud of where they live.

"A lot of times, when you drive by affordable housing, you can see that it's affordable housing," Vilma said. "We want to make sure that when someone were to move out and we wanted to bring in a workforce or market rate individual, they look and say, 'This is nice.'"

The project required demolishing the old Horizons Apartments, which had served as public housing for 15 years after being acquired as a HUD foreclosure in the 1990s.

The development represents more than just one project for Vilma, who sees it as part of a larger commitment to the Fort Myers community.

"Our commitment is not just on this one project," Vilma said. "Our commitment is to as many as we can do with Marcia, as many as we can do with Lee County, City of Fort Myers, that they will allow us to do."

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