9/5/24 UPDATE – This project was placed on hold by the Mayor following some negative feedback from nearby residents about concentrating social services in their district.
The City of Orlando is looking to invest $7.5 million into a new open-access shelter that would provide 24/7 accommodations for up to 250 people at a time. According to City Hall, the move would help reduce the city’s estimated unsheltered population by 50 percent.
The funding would come from the city’s Accelerate Orlando coffers, through which it has leveraged $58 million in federal funding to invest in homelessness, affordable housing, and community improvement. Previous projects have included investing in the Christian Service Center, Salvation Army, and Coalition for the /Homeless to provide services for unsheltered homeless.
City Council will be considering a one-year lease of a 21,000 SF warehouse at 2140 W. Washington Street [GMap] at the upcoming September 9 City Council meeting. The warehouse would be retrofitted for the new open-access shelter, which would have minimal entry requirements, and offer essential services like healthcare and counseling and employment assistance. It would allow for pets, partners, and entry without identification, things most shelters can’t or won’t do.
District 5 Interim City Commissioner Shan Rose hosted the first community information session on Tuesday, September 3 at the Heart of West Lakes Wellness Center.
Orange County has reported a 24% increase in unsheltered individuals since 2023.
