Orlando opens comment period on $10M draft housing and homelessness plan

Orlando is asking residents to weigh in on a draft housing and community development spending plan that would steer more than $10 million in federal funds toward affordable housing, homelessness prevention, public services and related improvements.

The City of Orlando posted notice June 5 that it has prepared a draft 2026 Annual Action Plan and draft 2026-2030 Consolidated Plan. The proposal is still a draft, not a final allocation. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, July 6, 2026, at 5 p.m. at the Beardall Senior Center, 800 Delaney Avenue.

What the draft plan includes

The city says the total amount available under the 2026 Action Plan is $10,054,688, plus program income and any carryover funds from previous years. The draft uses several U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs: Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnerships, Emergency Solutions Grants and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS.

In the city’s breakdown, CDBG funding includes money for affordable housing activities, public facilities improvements, infrastructure and urgent-needs work, public services such as housing counseling and homeless services, and program administration. HOME dollars are listed for rental housing and homeowner-occupied housing, including new construction, rehabilitation and down payment assistance. ESG funding would support shelter operations, street outreach, homelessness prevention and the Homeless Management Information System. HOPWA dollars would go toward tenant-based rental assistance, facility-based housing, supportive services, short-term rent, mortgage and utility help, and permanent housing placement.

Why residents should pay attention

The plan matters because it helps set the city’s priorities before final funding decisions are made. The Housing and Community Development Department says the consolidated plan identifies community needs, goals and funding priorities, and that it is built around citizen input and local service-agency guidance.

For renters, homeowners, service providers and neighborhood groups, the comment period is the chance to react before the city locks in its spending framework. Orlando says the draft documents are open for public review and written comments can be submitted by mail or email through July 6, the same day as the hearing.

Because the plan is still in draft form, no neighborhood project or individual award should be treated as final. The next key date is the July 6 hearing, when the city will take comments before the plan moves further through the process.

Sources

• City of Orlando CDBG and ESG program page