Back in April 2022, Walt Disney World announced that they would be allocating roughly 80 acres of land for an affordable housing project near Flamingo Crossings on the west side of Walt Disney World property. The housing would be exclusively available to people making less than the Area Median Income, and open in 2026.
Originally announced as a 1,300-unit project, Disney announced that they would be adding 100 units to the previously announced figure. As part of the early work to bring the project to life, Disney and Imagineering are going through the rezoning process to turn unused water basins into an area suitable for the development of apartments. During the process, Disney participated in a public meeting last month where roughly 70 residents attended, with many voicing opposition to the project.
Meeting minutes reviewed by BlogMickey.com highlighted some of the complaints:
- Over saturation with apartments already
- We don’t want affordable housing in our backyard
- Traffic concerns
- There is no mass transit in the area for residents to use
- Affordable housing should be limited to Cast Members
- Schools in the area are over-capacity
- There is too much traffic in the area already for children to play outside
- A townhome option would encourage ownership
A report from Horizon West Info says that the presentation from Disney was light on details, departing from a typical community hearing format where developers usually present detailed site plans and architectural renderings. Disney did not provide much info, which bothered residents.
Documents reviewed by BlogMickey.com reveal that Disney has a number of changes required by the Orange County Development Review Committee before their application can be considered complete. Disney is currently scheduled to have a hearing in front of the Orange County Planning & Zoning Committee on December 21, 2023. As of last month, the plan was to begin construction in 2026 and open the first wave of apartments that same year.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!