ORLANDO, Fla. – A new plan from the City of Orlando to turn more than 300 empty properties into single-family homes priced at $375,000 or less in downtown Orlando could be approved Monday.
City leaders are calling it a path to affordable homeownership, but questions remain about whether that price tag is truly within reach for working families.
The proposed Unlocked Open Door Program aims to address the issue, especially in neighborhoods like Parramore, where hundreds of vacant lots have sat unused for years.
“Some of these lots have been there for over a decade. This isn’t something new,” said Shan Rose, Orlando City Commission District 5.
What is new, however, is the plan to transform more than 300 vacant private lots within the Community Redevelopment Area into single-family homes designed to be affordable for working residents.
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“We want to make sure there is a stake in the game. There are more ownership opportunities, bridging a long-time wealth gap,” Rose said.
Under the Unlocked Open Door Program, buyers could receive $45,000 in down payment assistance, with an additional $10,000 available for first responders. Builders would be eligible for a 100% rebate on impact fees or building permit fees if they construct a minimum 1,200-square-foot home and sell it for $375,000 or less.
“To live in a single-family home in downtown or any urban core, I don’t think you’re going to get it for $300,000. I don’t even think you can get a condo in that price range, so this is an opportunity,” Rose added.
Buyers would be required to live in the home as their primary residence for at least five years. If approved, the program would run through January 2029 or until funding is exhausted.
City leaders are expected to vote on the proposal Monday.