Kissimmee city commissioner proposes affordable housing initiative | FOX 35 Orlando

Kissimmee city commissioner proposes affordable housing initiative

At Tuesday's Kissimmee City Commission meeting, Commissioner Angela Eady presented an idea: willing homeowners with two-car garages could allow the city to convert the garage into a studio apartment to rent out to people in need.

City staff is studying the idea to test its viability, and the measure is not up for a vote yet.

"I feel like someone has to stand and say, 'Look, we’ve got to do something," Eady said. "To turn a deaf ear is unconscionable."

Eady's idea drew support from Commissioner Janette Martinez, who shared her experience of seeing families in need.

"Now, living in the downtown area, I see families in cars late at night," Martinez said. "I took my Ring camera off the door, but it breaks my heart because I’m a mom."

Kissimmee isn’t alone in facing a shortage of affordable housing. It’s an issue across central Florida and the country. According to Rent.com, the average one-bedroom apartment in the city costs more than $1657 per month. That is slightly higher than in Winter Park, at $1611.

By converting an old motel, the city is currently working to add more than 100 emergency or affordable housing units known as the Haven on Vine. Garage apartments, also called accessory dwelling units, could potentially be another solution.

"A lot of people win in this," Eady said. "Kissimmee will have taken someone from homelessness. The homeowner that has accrued a large increase in their mortgage due to a large increase in their insurance — they could win out of this. And we’ve provided shelter for someone that was in need."

Eady said it’s an idea she knows is not for everyone.

"And that’s perfectly fine," Eady said. "But then there’s some that want to be out there in a time if need."

FOX 35 News spoke with two men in Kissimmee for their thoughts on the proposal.

"I think that sounds pretty efficient, especially given it's very tough to get into a home today," one man said.

"I don’t know that I would do it," another man said.

"What if your neighbor did it," Manny asked in response.

"I don’t know that I would be thrilled about that."

The city sent FOX 35 a statement Thursday about the idea.

"It will need to be evaluated to see if it is viable," the statement said. "We are considering adding the potential for homeowners to seek funding assistance to construct income-qualified accessory dwelling units to our line of housing assistance programs, which would have to be voted on by the city commission at a later date.

Eady said she is confident her idea will turn into action.

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