Orange County Serves Temporary Injunction on Property Deemed to Have Unsafe Buildings and Structures

The county will provide relocation and housing assistance to displaced residents.

WHAT:
Recent inspections of Kaleo Ministries / Hope City Refuge (1717 Harrell Road, Orlando, FL 32825) by Orange County’s Fire Marshal, as well as by the Orange County divisions of Building Safety and Neighborhood Services, have revealed multiple violations and severe life safety issues. To date, the property owner has failed to bring the property into compliance.

Kaleo Ministries / Hope City Refuge houses some 100 men, women, and children in unsafe and uninhabitable structures such as bunkhouses and shipping containers.

For the safety of the residents, Orange County today exercised its legal authority and obligation to serve a temporary injunction ordering the property owner to “cease inviting and allowing persons to continue living in structures and buildings that are unsafe,” according to the injunction.

To assist residents currently living at Kaleo Ministries / Hope City Refuge, Orange County has set up an assistance office in the Help Now Mobile Resource Center on Harrell Drive and deployed social services representatives to help find temporary housing, and to offer additional support through their transition to a safer location.

A media briefing will be held today at noon. See below for the details.

WHO:
Danny Banks, Orange County Public Safety Director
Bill Farhat, Acting Fire Marshal
Lavon Williams, Deputy Director Community & Family Services

**A Spanish-speaking representative from the Fire Marshal’s Office will also be available

WHEN:
Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 12 p.m.

WHERE:
Samaritan Resource Center
9837 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32817

MORE INFO:
A copy of the injunction and information regarding the property owner infractions are available here: https://ocfl.box.com/s/mhhysp564gprof4c3oexb99y2t0mlqpk