Almost two years ago, Walt Disney World announced<\/a> it was dedicating nearly 80 acres of land for a new affordable housing project in Orange County, which would include about 1,400 units of mixed-income housing. At least 1,000 of them would be reserved as \u201caffordable\u201d for residents earning 50% to 100% of the median income, or up to about $70,000. Disney still owns the land, but is working with developer The Michaels Organization<\/a> to build more housing for \u201ccost-burdened renters\u201d in central Florida.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n But some residents are objecting to the project, concerned it could add congestion to the area and pressure on its public school system, according to an Orlando Sentinel <\/em>report<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re trying to pack an enormous amount of density into what is essentially the size of a Costco<\/a> parking lot,\u201d Alex Cabrera, who lives less than two miles from the future development, said during a planning and zoning board meeting last month, according to the Sentinel<\/em>. \u201cIt\u2019s just way too much.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n But on Tuesday, Orange County commissioners voted to move forward with the development, and the plan will be reviewed by the Florida Department of Commerce and other state agencies.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are responding to Orange County leadership\u2019s call to bring more positive change to our community and have a plan that will make a meaningful impact,\u201d Tajiana Ancora-Brown, director of external affairs for Walt Disney World Resort, told Fortune<\/em> in a statement. \u201cWe are pleased with [the] vote and look forward to continuing our efforts to bring affordable housing to Central Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n The U.S. has been in a housing crunch<\/a> for a while\u2014and affordability remains a concern as rents stay high, mortgage rates stay elevated, and home prices continue to rise. That\u2019s why communities like Orange County are in dire need of affordable housing units like the one Disney is backing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other groups including hoteliers, Habitat for Humanity<\/a>, and a school teachers union have also openly supported the development, planned for a part of the county called Horizon West, but for locals, it\u2019s a tough pill to swallow. These Orange County residents are just the latest example of a wave of NIMBYism<\/a>\u2014or \u201cnot in my backyard,\u201d an attitude plaguing America that has blocked more housing development in already established areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNIMBYism is real, and failing to secure buy-in from the community adds time, cost and uncertainty,\u201d Tom Barkin, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, said in a November 2023 speech.<\/p>\n While an Orange County commissioner said during the planning and zoning meeting that her constituents are being wrongly painted as NIMBYs, they still said the area isn\u2019t ready to absorb more people.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are not in a position to put more human beings in an area that isn\u2019t ready for them,\u201d District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson said during the meeting, according to WMFE, a local NPR station. \u201cI think we have this perception that affordable housing is the goal. And yes, it should be affordable, but it should also come with all the things we need for it to be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n But like many other NIMBY cases, there are only a few loud voices speaking for a large community. Indeed, only about 30 residents out of Orange County\u2019s population of 1.4 million<\/a> showed up to the recent planning and zoning board meeting to air their grievances. Organizations including the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association, Orlando Economic Partnership, and the West Orange Chamber of Commerce submitted letters of support for the project.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCurrently many of the businesses we represent are struggling to recruit and retain workers due to the limited supply of affordable and attainable housing in Orange County,\u201d Stephen Lewis, president and CEO of West Orange Chamber of Commerce, wrote in a support letter. \u201cEnsuring affordable housing is available for West Orange residents is critical to the success of our county and will help grow small businesses and bring long-awaited amenities to the residents of Horizon West.\u201d <\/p>\n The groundbreaking for the affordable housing project is set for this year, but the first units wouldn\u2019t be available until 2026. While Disney cast members are able to apply to live at the development, it\u2019s open to any Orange County residents who meet the income requirements. An Orange County family of two making between roughly $35,000 to $70,000 would qualify, according to HUD data.<\/p>\nJust the latest target of NIMBYs<\/h2>\n
More about the project<\/h2>\n
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