By Christine Moore

This past Board of County Commissioners’ (BCC) meeting, the board was briefed on homeless services comprehensively by Lisa Klier-Graham. The update provided information on new programs and the recent encampment ordinance.  

Most recent public meetings shared information on outcome-driven and innovative programs and services. The BCC was required by the state to pass an ordinance which prohibits public camping. 

Orange County’s financial commitment for homeless services across all departments for FY 25-26 is $51,671,213.  

Sources include: 

• American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) – $3,808,478 
• Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) – $3,613,330 
• Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) – $2,001,437 
• US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding – $978,513 
• State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) – $400,000 
• Orange County General Revenue – $40,869,455 

Required by the federal government, a Point in Time (PIT) count is conducted yearly, and 1,972 people were identified as homeless in Orange County.  

Here are this year’s stats: 

• 13 out of every 10,000 people experience homelessness 
• 75.15% are households without children  
• 24.85% are households with at least one child 

Highlighted Subpopulations: 

• 21% are experiencing chronic homelessness 
• 12% report having a serious mental illness 
• 6% veterans 
• 5% unaccompanied youth 

The gap in shelter space in Orange County is approximately 800 beds. 

The newest actions taken by the department, which also assists municipalities, to address homeless populations include: 

• Orlando – 407 Connect: 2 shelter buses to provide overnight shelter for up to 40 individuals 
• Apopka –  approved locations for county-funding overnight bus shelter 
• Oakland – provides a comprehensive resource guide to the unhoused 
• Winter Park – provides a full-time direct street outreach unit 
• Winter Garden – maintains a case manager to notify individual of available services 

More on homeless services in Orange County next week. 

Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series on homelessness in Orange County.