Recently, the City of Orlando proposed turning the former Work Release Center at 130 W. Kaley St. into a 300-bed homeless shelter serving all of Orange County. Despite the overwhelming need for shelter space, local opposition led by a group of white residents in SoDo pressured the city into dropping their plans for a brick and mortar shelter.

Rather than pursue another suitable location for a permanent shelter, the city has shifted its focus to a new concept known as “Dignity Buses.” In theory, these buses would provide 20 temporary overnight beds versus the 300 beds the shelter in SoDo would’ve provided 24/7. While Dignity Buses may offer some immediate relief, they are not a sustainable or comprehensive solution to Orlando’s homelessness crisis.

A true brick-and-mortar shelter remains essential for several reasons:

Stability & Safety: Permanent shelters offer consistent, safe places for individuals to stay and build a path toward permanent housing.

Access to Services: Shelters provide wrap around services, vital connections to medical care, mental health support, employment services, and housing programs—services that cannot be delivered effectively on a moving vehicle.

Economic Efficiency: A central shelter reduces costs associated with emergency services, law enforcement, and public health interventions.

Weather Resilience: Florida’s extreme weather conditions, including hurricanes and tropical storms, make mobile solutions insufficient and potentially dangerous.

Support for Disabled Individuals: Many unhoused individuals are elderly or disabled, facing significant challenges that require accessible facilities, medical attention, and stable shelter conditions. Buses cannot adequately meet their needs.

Long-Term Impact: Shelters offer a structured environment that leads to lasting change. A bus can only provide a temporary reprieve, not a solution.

While Dignity Buses may serve as a short-term, emergency measure, they must be paired with a permanent, brick-and-mortar facility to be effective. Orlando’s homeless population deserves real, sustainable support—not temporary stopgaps.

We, the undersigned, demand that the City of Orlando recommit to building a permanent shelter that provides real pathways to stability, recovery, and dignity. Orlando’s unhoused residents deserve better. 

Sign this petition to demand real, lasting solutions. Let’s make Orlando a city that cares for ALL its residents- not just the white majority.