ORLANDO, Fla. — City leaders met Monday to talk about Orlando’s budget needs over the next year. Some of that money will be allocated to curb the city’s homelessness problem.

The Orlando City Council met to discuss the city's budget for the next fiscal year. 

In the budget, there are several line items that relate to homeless outreach. Under section on Appropriations, just more than $1.3 million is currently slated for housing and community development within the city. 

Other funds, like the Downtown South Neighborhood Improvement District Fund and the Downtown Development Board Fund, are funds that are designed to "stimulate private investment," in the areas they cover, as well as "directly impact revitalization of the area and preserve property values." 

Both of those funds combine to a total of $5,607,767, if the current budget proposal is approved by the council. 

Other items in the budget like the Downtown Relocation Assistance Program, the Housing First Initiative, and the Rental Assistance Program all come to $1.6 million. These program are designed to help people coming to the area to find jobs, local services, get identification, and help find housing, each of which can be used by the city's homeless population. 

Some line items in the budget include federal or state programs that work to address the housing crisis as well. A subheading of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Grants Fund makes up a little over $9.5 million in the city's budget, and the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program Fund is just over $3.6 million. 

Each of these proposed expenditures can work in various ways to help those in need of housing, food, or other resources. 

Mayor Buddy Dyer pledged a commitment to the issue earlier this year.

During his May "State of the City" address he announced efforts to cut homelessness in half.

On Tuesday, the Orange County Commission will be talking over funding for two major homelessness programs. The commission will decide whether to grant Mathews Hope Ministries money for homelessness outreach and diversion. 

This money is coming from American Rescue Plan, with more than $900,000 available to spend. 

The second decision for the commission will be whether the members will head into a new one-year agreement with the Coalition for Homeless of Central Florida. In exchange for housing and employment services, the county will shell out $901,000. These services would also include a 10-week employment program to help people back on their feet.

Lisa Portelli, the mayor's advisor on homelessness, says $3.8 million is currently given annually to a variety of agencies that work directly with the homeless.

How much will be spent this year has yet to be determined.

LaJune Davis, who became homeless just last week, says she hopes the city can someday help everyone that finds themselves in her situation.

"I got diagnosed with cancer. Then I was on food stamps which helped tremendously,” said Davis.

Davis doesn’t have a place to live and is cooking meals along the street and sharing a tent with others.

She says her previous landlord sold the place she lived in and now can’t afford rents anywhere in central Florida.

"Those of us that are disabled or old. Out here under these elements. Give us some place that is affordable," said Davis. 

City Schedule a for FY23-24 by Phillip Stucky on Scribd