The Apopka, Bartow, Orlando and Winter Haven Community Redevelopment Agencies recently participated in “Where Redevelopers Meet – Orlando CRA Connect 407 Tour,” an opportunity for community redevelopment professionals to explore innovative redevelopment and housing initiatives taking place in Central Florida.
The tour brought together CRA representatives for a firsthand look at projects and programs addressing economic development, housing, homelessness, and community revitalization.
The group toured Creative Village, a transformative mixed-use development in downtown Orlando that demonstrates how public investment, strategic partnerships, and redevelopment can create new opportunities for education, housing, employment, and neighborhood revitalization.
The tour also included a visit to the Christian Service Center for the Homeless, where participants learned more about efforts to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness and connect them with resources needed to transition toward stable housing.
A highlight of the tour was the 407 Connect mobile shelter program, which utilizes two retrofitted 45-foot buses to provide safe overnight accommodations and housing transition resources for individuals experiencing homelessness. The 407 Connect provides a safe, secure overnight environment with 20 individual sleeping accommodations, including two beds designed for individuals requiring ADA accessibility. The program pairs overnight shelter with connections to housing transition resources and supportive services. The innovative mobile approach demonstrates how communities can leverage existing assets and partnerships to address immediate housing needs while connecting residents to longer-term services and housing opportunities. “What I found most intriguing about the tour was the onsite access to medical resources/health clinic. I have volunteered and visited many facilities in the past and have never come across anyone offering this type of service, which I do find to be a much-needed valuable resource,” said Samise Lee, CRA Coordinator for City of Winter Haven, “So many resources – one stop shop!”
Beyond the projects and programs, the tour provided an opportunity for CRA professionals to exchange ideas, share experiences, and discuss approaches that could be adapted to meet the unique needs of their respective communities.
The tour reinforced the value of learning from neighboring communities and exploring innovative strategies that connect redevelopment with housing and quality-of-life initiatives. These opportunities to collaborate and share best practices help strengthen the collective work of Florida’s redevelopment community.