As a result of two decades of fiscal responsibility, the City of Orlando plans to “Accelerate Orlando” by leveraging $58 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funds to further our efforts in tackling two of our community’s most daunting challenges: homelessness and affordable housing.
Currently we are housing nearly 400 previously homeless residents in permanent, supportive housing. And, over the past few years, we’ve invested more than $43 million to create or preserve housing options for residents at all income levels.
The City of Orlando plans to accelerate our efforts by investing in agencies who provide shelter and wrap-around services to homeless individuals during the day, particularly in downtown Orlando.
Our plans include:
- Investing in the Christian Service Center, Salvation Army, and Coalition for the Homeless to modernize their campuses and provide services unsheltered homeless need during the daytime
- Investing in Aspire to create a new unit to expand mental health and substance abuse treatment
- Investing in Pathlight Home to reinvigorate the vision for the Pathway’s Drop-in Center supporting the development of permanent supportive housing and additional space for essential daytime services
The city will also make investments that will increase the overall availability of affordable housing in our city by:
- Converting the Ambassador Hotel on Colonial Drive into 150 apartments for working families and individuals, including 15 units for permanent supportive housing
- Transforming another blighted hotel into 22 affordable units to support LGBTQ+ youth
- Acquiring property to develop up to 80 apartments for workforce housing on Jefferson Street
- Developing 10 single-family homes in Parramore
- Expanding down payment support, housing counseling and access to housing repairs for low-income residents.
In addition to our efforts to “Accelerate Orlando” investments in homelessness and affordable housing, the city is also allocating funding to support: