AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Despite Central Florida’s booming population, a billion-dollar development proposed for an Orlando community is facing backlash.

Residents at a motel along a tourist strip not far from Walt Disney World that was used as the setting for the 2017 film “The Florida Project” were told that they must vacate on short-notice because the complex has been sold to another owner.

After a few roadblocks and no solutions, Orange County commissioners are hoping for a different outcome during Thursday’s special work session on rent control.

As home prices and mortgage rates climb, some folks wanting to buy their first home are having to get creative. News 6 investigator Merris Badcock spoke to Orlando homeowners who figured out how to buy their first homes making less than $50,000 dollars a year.

Even with home prices skyrocketing and low inventory, a recent Lending Tree study found Florida is one of the top states with the highest vacancy rates. While realtors and economists said this may seem shocking, knowing that information can help homebuyers make better decisions.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the launch of a program Monday that will assist Floridians in over 50 professions buy their first homes.

Mark Vangroff, managing partner of One Stop Housing, plans to address the housing crisis in Orlando.

It found 39% of families in Central Florida made more than the federal poverty line, but not enough, or barely enough, to make ends meet in 2021.

Take a look at why Florida is now considered the least affordable place to live in the entire country.

Almeida said animal services is reporting double the number of animals being surrendered on a daily basis, up to 30 pets a day.

It's now more expensive to rent in Miami than in Los Angeles.

Commissioner Emily Bonilla presented the plan which calls for a rent hike cap of 5% -- or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.

A new report from Inspection Service Network, which provides property inspection software services, puts Orlando in the top 20 most female homebuyers in the United States, along with Miami, Tampa.

The former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is getting results for Central Florida's housing market with a generous donation to two local Habitat for Humanity affiliates.

According to the Coalition for the Homeless in Central Florida, the organization has been able to assist a growing number of people experiencing homelessness with funds from the federal CARES act program.

Nearly a thousand people move to the Sunshine State every day — a trend analysts believe will continue for at least the next five years. And that begs the question: where are those folks going to live?

Economic analysts call it the perfect storm for renters in Orlando and across the nation.

Rents have exploded across the country, causing many to fall behind on payments, dig deep into their savings or downsize to subpar units.

To qualify, you must live in the city limits of Orlando, you must have been impacted by COVID-19 financially. You also must be behind on rent or facing eviction because of late rent payments.

Zillow released its 10 hottest housing markets of 2022 and Orlando is ranked No. 9 out of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas.

Pinnacle Communities plans a 300-unit complex at the former night club and resort site.

Housing advocates say evictions are increasing around the country, several months after a federal moratorium was allowed to end.

When we think about the world and the problems people encounter every day, a few of the biggest hurdles would be poverty and hunger, climate change and inequality, to name a few.

As more companies are investing in converting old hotels along 192 in Osceola County's tourism district for affordable, workforce housing, the county commission is setting new standards for living conditions Monday night.

Episode 2 of “Solutionaries” tackles the lack of affordable housing across America and highlights the people and organizations who are working to solve the crisis.

Affordable housing is a growing issue in Central Florida.

As part of an initiative to create more affordable housing and an increased inventory of homes, President Joe Biden recently announced his administration wants to make single-family homes less available to investors.

Between application fees, first month’s rent, last month’s rent and a security deposit, the cost of moving to a new apartment in the Orlando area can quickly add up.

The affordable housing crisis is worsening by the day, with the housing supply at an all-time low and rents reaching sky high numbers, but there are people, projects and organizations out there dedicated to combating the crisis.

No matter where you live in the U.S., it's likely your community struggles with the issue of affordable housing. The Solutionaries team spent the summer looking at some of the systemic ways in which the housing crisis might be stemmed. One fix we looked at both in Orlando and Detroit is a system known as a "community land trust."

There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution to the affordable housing crisis Central Florida is facing but there are some groups and individuals working to make housing more attainable.

When you hear the term “affordable housing,” what do you think of?

The average rent in the market is up to $1,537 per month, according to Brian Alford, Director of Market Analytics in Florida.

Ivory Innovations and its Director, Abby Ivory, are pushing businesses and students to solve the affordable housing crisis.

It’s been a strange time, living through a global pandemic. What first might have come as a surprise, is the housing boom that followed -- and the fact that things have stayed red hot.

Just in the past few weeks, the Biden administration announced it would take steps to address a severe housing shortage in the U.S.

Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring money for affordable housing continue adding petition signatures as they try to get on the November 2022 ballot.

The Deltona, Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach real estate market was No. 9 in the nation for people moving to during this pandemic.

There’s a new group in town ready to fight for more housing in Central Florida -- Orlando YIMBY: Yes in My Backyard.

Within just two days, Avalon Park couple Jenny Berger and Richard Ortega sold their home, not knowing how far buyers would go to seal the deal.

The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia has a mission: to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and prevent homelessness.

News 6 is gathering viewer feedback on Central Florida's affordable housing situation to be used in an upcoming episode of Solutionaries.

Universal Parks and Resorts along with leaders in Orange County have now selected a developer to build and design a new 20-acre affordable housing community.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A new affordable housing neighborhood for seniors is coming to Pine Hills. Hawthorne Park Apartments is a $27 million construction project that will help low-income seniors who need an affordable home in Orange County. AdOfficials explained more than 100,000 people in Orange County spend a third of their income on housing payments, most of them seniors. More affordable housing coming to Pine Hills. Orange County Mayor Demings says the 27 million dollar project will help low-income seniors.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Nearly 100 new units at the Preserve at Emerald Villas in Pine Hills will now be the home to dozens of seniors in Orange County. The $19 million project was designed to help seniors who earn from 40% to 60% of the area median income. “This is an opportunity for us to have a public, private partnership to address the deficit of affordable housing here in our community,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. The property was bought back in 2011 and was in deep foreclosure then became the second phase of development at Emerald Villas affordable housing. Pozzo said less than 20 units are still available for seniors at the Preserve at Emerald Villas.

Universal Parks & Resorts is looking for a developer who can bring their vision of affordable housing to fruition. The affordable housing community will sit on a 20-acre site that the company has pledged for exclusive use in an effort to help one of the region’s most challenging problems: the lack of affordable housing. Officials said Universal will donate the land to a nonprofit entity and work with the developer to ensure the property is used for affordable housing in perpetuity. Universal said it will manage the developer selection process and will also work to create the development agreement with Orange County. And the benefits to our community will be real.”For more information on the new initiative, click or tap here.

Ron DeSantis issued the extension on the executive order hours before the current order was set to expire. PREVIOUS STORY:The temporary ban on evictions and foreclosures in Florida put in place by Gov. DeSantis issued an executive order in April placing a moratorium, or hold, on evictions due to nonpayment of monthly rent or mortgages. Last week, DeSantis announced $240 million in funding for rental assistance for affordable housing tenants, along with rent and mortgage assistance. Locally, several Central Florida counties are offering rent assistance or financial help through federal CARES Act grants and pandemic assistance.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Heart of Florida United Way CEO Jeff Hayword said the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have economic consequences for Central Floridians. On Wednesday, he held a meeting with local leaders to discuss what he calls a housing crisis in the community. From March 17, 2019, to June 17, 2019, there were over 2,300 residential eviction cases filed in Orange County. In the same period of 2020, there have been less than 300 residential eviction cases filed. Tiffany Moore Russell, with the Orange County Clerk of Courts, said July though October is typically when they see a high peak in evictions.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – This month, the Osceola’s Board of County commissioners approved investing $8.9 million to buy an 82-acre property right that is walking distance to the Poinciana SunRail station. “A lot of times people say, ‘We need affordable housing, you need to make them put in that affordable housing,’” Grieb said about development on land the county doesn’t own. According to a study by the Orlando Economic Partnership, Osceola County is the fastest-growing county in our region. Osceola County also created a fund that designated $1 million to pay impact mobility fees for eligible developers building affordable housing. “That’s a challenge because we don’t control the growth and put up a sign that says ‘Osceola County is full’.

Osceola County investing in affordable housingPublished: January 22, 2020, 6:42 pmLeaders in Osceola County say they want to make sure affordable housing is available to residents as the region continues to grow.