The City of Orlando is committed to reducing homelessness through a coordinated regional strategy that expands access to affordable housing, behavioral health services and evidence-based interventions while maintaining safe and welcoming public spaces.
Working alongside the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, Orange County, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, law enforcement, and community partners, the city supports a comprehensive system of care that addresses both the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness and the long-term factors that contribute to housing instability.
Although the region has experienced unprecedented housing affordability challenges in recent years, recent data show that homelessness has begun to stabilize. The 2026 Point-in-Time Count identified 2,724 people experiencing homelessness across Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties which is essentially unchanged from the previous year. However, the continued rise in first-time homelessness demonstrates that the shortage of affordable housing and the gap between wages and housing costs remain significant challenges.
To respond to these issues, the city continues to implement its Action Plan on Unsheltered Homelessness, a multi-year strategy focused on reducing unsheltered homelessness, improving access to housing and services and enhancing the management of public spaces through outreach, engagement, and coordinated response.
The plan prioritizes:
- Expanding access to emergency, bridge, supportive, and affordable housing.
- Increasing behavioral health and substance use treatment services.
- Preventing homelessness through diversion, rental assistance, and rapid rehousing.
- Coordinating street outreach and public space management through a services-first approach.
The city currently invests approximately $5.3 million annually in homeless services through local nonprofit partners that provide emergency shelter, supportive housing, street outreach, case management, behavioral healthcare, employment assistance, legal services, and homelessness prevention programs.
The city remains committed to a regional, data-driven approach that balances compassion with accountability. By expanding housing opportunities, investing in treatment and recovery services, strengthening public-private partnerships, and coordinating outreach across agencies, Orlando continues working toward the shared goal of ensuring that homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring.