A new center for women and families experiencing homelessness is in the works in Orlando’s Parramore neighborhood, with plans to expand shelter capacity and provide additional services, including an on-site medical clinic.
The Coalition for the Homeless is preparing the site along North Terry Avenue for a six-story, 105,000-square-foot facility. The $19 million project will replace the organization’s existing facility, which is about 75 years old.
Leon Kirkpatrick of the Coalition for the Homeless said the new center is expected to increase the organization’s impact in the community.
“It will help us expand our program by 40 to 50 percent on how we will impact the community,” Kirkpatrick said.
The facility is expected to add hundreds of beds and provide temporary housing for women and families experiencing homelessness. Plans also include transitional housing, which can help people move from emergency shelter toward more stable living arrangements.
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Orlando City Commissioner Shan Rose, who represents District 5, said the transitional housing component will help address a gap in services.
“It also includes transitional housing, and that’s what most of our shelters do not have,” Rose said.
The project comes as local governments and service providers continue working to address homelessness and expand housing options for people living without stable shelter.
Orlando has implemented an action plan to address unsheltered homelessness, with an emphasis on expanding housing options and connecting people with services.
Other efforts are also underway. Christian Service Center for the Homeless recently unveiled a $7 million renovation intended to help more people in need. The 407 Connect program, launched about a year ago, provides a mobile overnight shelter option.
Rose said connecting people with services where they are is an important part of addressing homelessness.
“We are meeting people where they are in their unfortunate unhoused situation and helping them get their lives back together,” Rose said.
The Coalition for the Homeless project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2028.