Orange County Launches Community Development Plan and Fair Housing Study

HUD-Required Studies Will Guide Future Community and Housing Investments

Orange County, Fla. — The Orange County’s Housing and Community Development division will soon develop strategic plans that will feature substantial community feedback. The plans will guide investments of federal dollars in affordable housing, social services, community development, and homelessness assistance programs across the County for 2022-2026.

“As we immerse ourselves in this planning process to identify our community needs for the next five years, it is extremely important that we get input from our residents,” said Orange County Housing and Community Development Manager Mitchell Glasser. “We have to ensure that their different and specific concerns, such as the need for affordable housing and specific services, are properly identified and represented as we continue to grow and become more diverse.”

Community input is essential to help the County focus its efforts and limited resources on the programs and services that are truly important. To engage in this process and share ideas with the planning team, residents are encouraged to complete an online survey or submit a comment form. The survey is available in both English and Spanish. This valuable input will be carefully considered for inclusion in the County’s plans.

Residents can learn more about the project and take the online survey at www.yourOCFLplans.com. Initial drafts of these plans and studies will be shared for public review and comment beginning in mid-June 2022.

MORE INFORMATION:

The community development plan, also called the Five-Year Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan, assesses the current housing market, discusses characteristics of the County population, identifies community improvement priorities, and outlines a plan to fund and implement them.

The fair housing study, which is called the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice will identify barriers to equal access to housing and propose fair and affordable housing strategies to overcome them.

These plans are required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the County to receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), HOME-ARP, and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds. Together, these grant programs provide approximately $11 million each year in funding for activities like childcare subsidies, meals for seniors, park and playground improvements, financing for development of new affordable rental housing, home repair assistance for seniors, operation of homeless shelters, and construction of community and cultural centers.

For any additional information, please contact Mosaic Community Planning at (470) 435-6020 or info@mosaiccommunityplanning.com.