Mayor Jerry L. Demings launched the Housing for All initiative to promote and incentivize the development of affordable and attainable housing in Orange County.
Communities across the nation are struggling with affordable and accessible housing—and the Orlando Metro area is no exception. In fact, rent here is higher than the state average, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Gap Report. With Orange County and the surrounding region growing by about 1,500 people every week, it’s more important than ever to start putting smart plans into action to meet the housing needs of our residents.
Orange County's success in increasing its affordable housing stock stems from strong partnerships between the public, private, and philanthropic sectors. View our interactive map to see the projects across the county.
2,961 Total Affordable Units created
1,849 Total Units funded by Affordable Housing Trust Fund
$55 million Total allocated by Housing Trust Fund
Ready Set Orange makes it easier than ever for residents to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) or small single-family homes on their property by providing free pre-reviewed floorplans.
Vision 2050 helps accomplish the County’s goal of eliminating barriers in the development process. Amid an affordable housing shortage, it’s important for Orange County to encourage greater diversity in housing types. Vision 2050 will accommodate a broader and more affordable range of housing opportunities consisting of single-family homes, apartments, and everything in between, such as townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, garden homes, and more.
Orange County is committed to donating surplus land suitable for housing development to nonprofit organizations for the construction of affordable housing. Since Housing for All began, 27 single-family homes have been created using the County’s Surplus Lots program.
Orange County is dedicated to ensuring the existing stock of affordable housing remains affordable for generations to come. The county has allocated $4.38 million in affordable housing trust fund money to preservation efforts. An ongoing effort of Housing for All is to educate the public about the need for more affordable housing while dispelling myths and misconceptions.
A: Through the County’s new proposed comprehensive plan and land development code, Vision 2050 and Orange Code, Orange County is updating dated development regulations. Doing so will reduce obstacles that have for decades stood between developers and their efforts to build affordable housing. Vision 2050 and Orange Code will accommodate a broader and more affordable range of housing opportunities.
A: The Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) was established in 2021 as the primary funding source to support the goals of the Housing for All initiative. The AHTF was created to provide the financial resources necessary to create and preserve affordable housing in the County. The Board of County Commissioners voted to approve the AHTF with expected total commitment of $160 million over the first 10 years. Additionally, in the recent election voters voted to permanently fund the AHTF. The County has issued three Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for gap financing for affordable housing projects and awarded nearly $47 million to 12 projects. The Revolving Loan Fund was established in December of 2024as a low-interest financing source for nonprofit developers of affordable housing.
A: Affordable housing is generally defined as housing for which the occupant is paying no more than 30 percent of gross income for housing costs, including utilities.
A: Housing units that will serve households with incomes between 30 – 80% of the median annual income.
A: The Area Median Income for a household of 4 in Orange County is $90,400 (2024). The new number for 2025 will come out this Spring.
A: Means housing units that will serve households with incomes between 120 – 140% of the median annual income.
A: Also sometimes referred to “rent-burdened” in the case of tenants, means households expending more than 30% of their gross income for housing.
A: Housing that is not subsidized by the government and is based on the market value and demand of the area.
A: Means housing that aims to create diverse housing types that are compatible with existing neighborhoods. Missing middle housing types include duplexes/ triplexes/ fourplexes, bungalow courts, small homes/lots, townhouses, live-work units and accessory dwelling units. Our current residential market is heavy on the single-family detached, and heavy on multi-family attached, with very little supply of everything in between.
A: An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a smaller, independent residential dwelling unit located on the same lot as a stand-alone (i.e., detached) single-family home. ADUs go by many different names throughout the U.S., including accessory apartments, secondary suites, and granny flats.
Email: housing@ocfl.netPhone: (407) 836-5150
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