Mayor Jacobs Will Host First-Ever Landlord Summit to Address Homelessness

Tomorrow, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness will host the first-ever Central Florida Landlord Summit to address homelessness and help individuals, families and children find safe, stable and affordable housing in the region. The July 29th Summit will focus on the recent influx of funding and support that will soon be available for landlords, property owners, and individuals who are interested in partnering with the community to significantly reduce homelessness in Central Florida, according to County officials.

“As our region continues to work on impacting homelessness and helping individuals, families and children to find safe, stable and affordable housing, I am asking for your help,” Mayor Jacobs said in a letter sent to property owners and landlords earlier this month. “I would be deeply grateful for your attendance.”

The first-ever Central Florida Landlord Summit will be held at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel from 8:30am to 10:30am. As part of the event, Mayor Jacobs and those interested in reducing homelessness in Central Florida will discuss “The Plan to House 100,” a regional plan that is based on the Housing First and Rapid Rehousing models. The models have proven to be effective in reducing homelessness in other communities around the country.

The local plan includes a mix of public and private funding partnerships as well as access to financial resources to protect property owners. According to Mayor Jacobs, the plan will focus on housing for families with children and “supports our commitment to effectively end Veterans homelessness by the end of 2015.”

In her 2015 State of the County address, Mayor Jacobs promised proposals to address the homeless and needy and touted Orange County boosting its annual budget for homeless services by $2 million.

“The high rate of homelessness in Central Florida is morally unacceptable and has a significant negative economic impact on the region,” Mayor Jacobs said. “Working together, we can create permanent solutions for housing the homeless in a compassionate, effective and cost-efficient manner, and for lifting families and children out of homelessness and onto the path of hope, self-sufficiency and success.”