People need shelter! If this building is torn down, the beds, lockers, and space it offers are gone for good.
Thousands of people in Orange County are without a home tonight. Among them are 8,828 students in Orange County Public Schools who had no permanent place to live in 2024–25, the most recent count we could find (News 6).
Children are sleeping in motels, cars, and on the street, and the county is not yet doing enough to shelter them.
On November 10, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners will vote on Consent Item A.4 to demolish the former Work Release Center at 130 W. Kaley Street.
The building has stood empty since March 2020. It sits on 4.8 acres and can still be used. County staff estimate the demolition at about $400,000, and the county says the building’s contents will be made available to local agencies. The shelter that could have used this site is still needed.
We are asking the Board to:
- Stop the November 10 demolition vote and bring the item back after public review.
- Direct staff to study whether the building, or part of it, can shelter people now, with costs and a timeline.
- Release the contents and cost analysis to shelter providers and the public before any demolition.
People are sleeping on Orlando’s streets tonight. Please sign and share before the vote.