Building Futures: A Community Response to Homelessness
November is National Homelessness Awareness Month, a time to shine a light on one of our nation’s most pressing challenges and to recognize the partnerships and leadership that are driving real change in Central Florida. In Florida, where the cost of living continues to rise faster than wages and access to behavioral health care remains limited, the need for housing stability is urgent. According to the 2025 Point-in-Time Count, more than 30,000 Floridians are experiencing homelessness on any given night — with roughly 1,500 individuals in Central Florida. Research shows that between 25% and 45% of those experiencing homelessness live with a mental illness or co-occurring disability. At Dave’s House, we believe ending homelessness begins with safe, permanent supportive housing — homes that provide both stability and the services individuals need to thrive.
Credit: Orange County, Florida Article on Housing Stability
Orange County: Investing in Mental Health and Housing Stability
Orange County continues to strengthen its response through its Mental Health and Homelessness Division, which coordinates and funds programs like the Central Receiving Center, Wraparound Orange, and countywide outreach linking residents to stable housing and behavioral health services.
In 2025 alone, these initiatives reached more than 14,000 individuals, connecting them to care, shelter, and support. The connection between homelessness and mental health is clear: the 2025 Point-in-Time Count found that 12% of unhoused individuals in Orange County reported a diagnosed mental illness, while 49% of inmates experiencing homelessness in the county also had a diagnosed mental illness.
Providing stable housing with supportive services not only saves lives — it saves money. Studies show that supporting an individual living on the streets costs around $31,000 per year, while providing permanent housing with wraparound care costs only $10,000 per year, a 68% savings. Lisa Klier-Graham, manager of the Orange County Mental Health and Homelessness Division, shared in a recent article: “Stable housing leads to better health, employment, and quality of life — and it saves taxpayer dollars by lowering future costs tied to incarceration, emergency room visits, and crisis interventions.”
The City of Orlando: Leading with Collaboration
The City of Orlando continues to demonstrate leadership through its partnerships with local agencies and its commitment to addressing homelessness and affordable housing through coordinated, compassionate action.
Lisa Portelli, representing the City of Orlando’s efforts in housing and social services, emphasized the importance of collective responsibility: “Dave’s House provides housing and support with dignity and kindness, ensuring a safe and welcoming environment through their professionalism and meticulous attention to detail. We are immensely proud to have them in Orlando and eagerly anticipate the expansion of these essential services.” Through strategic partnerships, grant investments, and support of permanent supportive housing initiatives, the City continues to model how local government can collaborate effectively to create long-term impact.
Regional Coordination: A Shared Vision for Central Florida
The Homeless Services Network of Central Florida serves as the backbone of our region’s coordinated response to homelessness, leading a vast network of partners across Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties with a shared goal: to make homelessness rare and brief. For the Homeless Services Network, the ultimate mission is to connect people experiencing homelessness to stable housing solutions. The nonprofit leads more than 60 partners — from local governments and healthcare providers to fellow nonprofit and business leaders — to coordinate the region's priorities and ensure all are working together to address critical housing shortages, track vital data, and prevent weather-related tragedies to our unsheltered neighbors during extreme heat waves, hurricanes, flooding and cold snaps. HSN provides rental assistance, recruits landlords, and leverages data and research to inform policy, funding, and strategy. Its leadership ensures that every effort — from outreach to housing — is aligned to help individuals and families achieve stability and thrive.
Martha Are, CEO of HSN, shared: “Homelessness is one of the most complicated social issues we face in Central Florida, and no single organization can solve it alone. Our role is to build one coordinated, compassionate system that creates lasting solutions.” This unified vision strengthens the entire regional response — ensuring that programs like Dave’s House’s supportive housing communities are part of a seamless, data-informed system designed to prevent homelessness whenever possible and end it when it occurs.
Seminole County: Expanding Hope Through Dave’s House at Celery Community
In neighboring Seminole County, Dave’s House is taking a major step forward with the development of Dave’s House at Celery Community — a first-of-its-kind residential campus in Sanford, created in partnership with Community Assisted & Supported Living (CASL) and HomeAid Orlando.
Located on a five-acre parcel generously donated by Family of Friends, Inc., this new community will include:
Eight duplex homes serving up to 31 residents
A 3,500-square-foot community center for workshops, social connection, and wellness.
On-site case management, peer support, and healthcare coordination
Access to transportation, job readiness programs, and holistic wellness activities
Funded in part by a $1 million grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, this project doubles Dave’s House’s capacity and creates a scalable model for other counties to follow.
“Dave’s House values strong partnerships to expand both housing and the specialized services our residents need,” said Ellen O’Connor, CEO of Dave’s House. “This community marks a bold step forward — together with CASL and HomeAid Orlando, we’re building homes and futures in Seminole County.”
Building Futures: A Model That Works
Since its founding, Dave’s House has developed six supportive homes in Orange County in partnership with behavioral health provider Aspire Health Partners, achieving a 90% resident retention rate. Every Dave’s House resident participates in daily productive activities — continuing education, volunteering, or employment — and lives with the stability to manage life’s challenges and move forward in recovery.
Permanent supportive housing works. It transforms lives, strengthens communities, and delivers measurable outcomes for individuals and taxpayers alike. “Our residents’ stories are a powerful reminder that with stability, anything is possible,” said O’Connor. “Their courage inspires our mission — and our community partnerships make it sustainable.”
This National Homelessness Awareness Month, we honor the leaders, partners, and advocates who make progress possible — and invite you to join us in building futures filled with stability, purpose, and hope.