It’s just been announced that Disney is setting aside close to 80 acres of land on which to establish a brand-new affordable housing development.
The development, which will be located near the Flamingo Crossings retail and services area, as well as nearby schools, will be available to “qualifying members of the general public,” including cast members. The goal at this time is for the neighborhood to consist of over 1,300 housing units.
The community will be brought to life by a noted affordable housing developer, and additional details will be released in the days ahead.
In many instances in the Central Florida area, private companies and community groups play the largest role in caring for those who are experiencing housing insecurity. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings had this to say of Disney’s efforts with the new development: “I am very excited that Walt Disney World is stepping up to the plate to help set the standard for corporate engagement in this community by building workforce housing. This is something that we certainly know is a dire need in this community. So, we look forward to working with other businesses to do the same as we endeavor to close the gap between the housing crisis and the lack of affordable housing to having an abundance of workforce housing…”
You can read all of the details from Disney regarding the new community and their efforts to help the Central Florida community below.
The new affordable housing development in Central Florida is expected to include more than 1,300 units. Disney will work with developer to add creative and innovative touches to make it a special place to live.
Walt Disney World Resort will earmark nearly 80 acres of land to bring a new affordable housing development to life in southwest Orange County, Florida. This initiative has been in the works for quite some time and builds on The Walt Disney Company’s long legacy of bringing positive, lasting change to the communities it calls home – making an important difference locally to address one of the nation’s greatest challenges.
This new development, which is still in the early planning stages and subject to appropriate approvals, is expected to include more than 1,300 units and will be constructed by a third-party affordable housing developer on Disney’s land near its Central Florida theme parks. The development will offer residents a variety of home choices that are affordable and attainable, located in close proximity to schools and the new and expanding Flamingo Crossings Town Center retail and dining complex. It will offer a variety of amenities to foster a strong community.
Known for building industry-leading theme parks and resort hotels around the world, Disney will engage the developer to bring that same innovation, expertise and attention to detail to this initiative. The development will be available for qualifying applicants from the general public, including Disney cast members.
“We are invested in working together with our community to solve complex issues,” said Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort. “The lack of affordable housing is affecting many people across our country, including right here in Central Florida. With this initiative, we’re lending a hand to make a real and meaningful impact in our community by tapping into the best of our company’s strengths. This is the right opportunity and the right time to take action.”
More details about this initiative will be released at a later date as the company continues due diligence work with a prominent affordable housing developer. Disney’s initiative will play an important role as leaders in the community – including Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings – continue to prioritize finding lasting solutions to affordable housing in Central Florida.
This new initiative in Central Florida will join additional investments Disney is making in affordable housing. Several years ago, Disneyland Resort led an effort to revitalize the Orange County Housing Trust that provides “last mile” funding for affordable housing projects in Anaheim. This made the Buena Esperanza project — a converted studio apartment community for veterans and homeless individuals with mental illness — a reality. In addition to providing them a place to live, the community offers job placement and mental health and wellness support to residents. As a result of Disney’s investment a second project, Finamore Place, in Anaheim is under construction with an expected completion date of early summer 2022. It will provide over 100 additional housing units. Disneyland Resort will continue to show support for these and other such worthy endeavors.
These initiatives are among the many ways Disney is strengthening its communities, including hundreds of millions of dollars provided in philanthropic donations to local nonprofits, the Disney VoluntEARS program, contributions to local foodbanks and more. Walt Disney World Resort also recently donated $3 million to important causes in the community, including organizations on the front lines of the affordable housing issue.
For additional details about Disney’s community initiatives in Central Florida, please visit DisneyWorldGivesBack.com.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION – WALT DISNEY WORLD IN THE COMMUNITY
Giving Back to Our Community
Walt Disney World donated a total of $3 million in October 2021 to important causes in Central Florida, including Hope Partnership. This nonprofit organization supports families experiencing homelessness and poverty in Osceola County and provides a pathway to employment, healthcare and housing, connecting individuals with organizations like Disney VoluntEARS for skills-based support.
Taking a Leadership Role & Finding Solutions
Disney was a founding member of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, helping to provide rapid rehousing for chronically homeless families in Orange and Osceola counties. Rena Langley, Senior Vice President, Walt Disney World Communications and Public Affairs, joined the board in 2018. She is one of many Disney leaders who serve on more than 120 nonprofit and industry-related boards in Central Florida, sharing expertise and business insight that Disney has assembled over the years.
Investing in Organizations on the Front Lines
Disney has made significant investments to address affordable housing and homelessness from all angles in recent years, supporting organizations on the front lines of this issue through the Disney Grants program. Past recipients include:
· Hope Partnership: Helps families move into a home of their own while providing wraparound services to help them adjust and find stability.
· Covenant House: Uses case management to find families that are ready to take the next step and move into a home of their own.
· Habitat for Humanity Lake and Sumter Counties: Runs a Youth Construction Academy designed to provide the next generation a hands-on education in technical skills within the construction industry – while engaging them in the social aspect of building affordable housing and bettering their community one project at a time.
· Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida: Helps to create hope and nourish lives through a powerful hunger relief network. The Disney Harvest Program supports Second Harvest’s great work in serving more than 40 Orlando-area nonprofits, and for years, Disney VoluntEARS have helped to sort and pack food delivered across the region.
Disney also invested in a collaborative effort to further understand and address youth homelessness, helping to fund a new Digital System of Care for Youth program for Heart of Florida United Way, Zebra Coalition and Homeless Services Network. This mobile platform connects local homeless youth to a network of care and resources.
Serving Meals to Those in Need
For more than 20 years, Disney culinary teams and Disney VoluntEARS have delivered and served meals at the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. This Central Florida nonprofit organization serves more than 20,000 meals to those in need each year, with 9,000 of those annual meals are prepared and served by Disney chefs. Each year on Thanksgiving, Disney chefs also dish up hundreds of tasty Thanksgiving meals to the Coalition. In 2021, we donated hundreds of to-go containers and $20,000 collected from the coins guests tossed into fountains at Walt Disney World Resort.