Orange County leaders approve plan to build more affordable housing

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — With a major shortage in housing and a rise in home prices, leaders in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties are looking for ways to make it more affordable for everyone to live in the region.

On Tuesday, Orange County leaders approved an action plan to create more affordable housing.

Winter Springs resident Jerry Johnson comes from a generation that wants to live, work and play without much driving in between.

"You want your commute to be easy,” he said.

But for a large portion of the population in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, that's not really possible.

"I know a lot of people, where we work, they live in Eustis or like, St. Cloud. That's like a 45-minute commute to the downtown area for work,” Johnson said.

Housing trends have changed with a 5 percent drop in home ownership over the last decade and a shift to renting.

"There's a complete disconnect between what makes sense for our local community and what's being produced," said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.

The region's housing committee believes diversifying future development is one of the solutions to the severe housing crisis.

That translates to fewer big housing projects and more mixed-income communities that include cottages and micro apartments.

The concept is to create smaller living spaces that are walkable to services or work and more affordable.

Leaders are looking at more ways to build up instead of out where transportation doesn't reach.

As part of the action plan, the counties are also working on incentives for people to rehab existing homes that may be run down.

Cox Media Group