City of Orlando Seeks to Invest $7.5 million of Accelerate Orlando Funds to Reduce Unsheltered Homelessness
The City of Orlando is seeking to invest $7.5 million of Accelerate Orlando funds in a new Open Access shelter that would provide 24/7 accommodations for up to 250 vulnerable community members. This funding is part of the city’s ongoing commitment to combating homelessness and reducing the unsheltered population by 50 percent.
As a first step, the City Council on Monday, September 9 will be contemplating a year lease – with the option to purchase – a 21,000 square-foot facility located at 2140 West Washington Street. This Open Access shelter would operate 24/7 with minimal entry requirements, offering essential services like employment assistance, healthcare and counseling to help clients find housing and end homelessness. Open Access shelters eliminate entry barriers, creating a safe and welcoming environment that allows pets, partners and entry without identification, addressing common obstacles in existing facilities.
Following a robust period of community engagement and stakeholder feedback, the City Council would then consider purchasing the property to be operated by a service provider selected through a procurement (RFP) process. District 5 Interim City Commissioner Shan Rose will host the first community information session this evening, Tuesday, September 3, 2024, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center, 710 South Tampa Avenue.
Recent years have seen a rise in the unsheltered population across the country, with Orange County experiencing a 24 percent increase since 2023. More than half of these unsheltered individuals are concentrated in or near downtown Orlando.
In late 2023, the city coordinated community outreach around the Accelerate Orlando initiative, and additional overnight shelter was one of the urgent unmet needs identified by community members and stakeholders. Additionally, the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness identified these types of open access shelters as the one of the primary service gaps in the Central Florida area.
The city has leveraged $58 million in federal funding through Accelerate Orlando, to make a once-in-a-generation investment in homelessness, affordable housing and community improvement, including:
- Investing in the Christian Service Center, Salvation Army, and Coalition for the Homeless to modernize their campuses and provide services to address the needs of unsheltered homeless during the daytime.
- Investing in Pathlight Home to reinvigorate the vision for the Pathways Drop-In Center supporting the development of additional space for essential daytime services for individuals who have been diagnosed with serious mental illnesses.
The city is also making investments that will increase the overall availability of affordable housing in our city by:
- Converting a blighted hotel on Colonial Drive into Palm Gardens Orlando Apartments with 150 apartment units, including 15 dedicated for permanent supportive housing.
- Developing up to 80 apartments for mixed-income affordable housing on Jefferson Street.
- Developing approximately 15 single-family homes in Parramore and Holden Heights.
- Expanding down payment support, housing counseling and access to housing repairs for low-income residents.
