ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Residents in Union Park, in East Orange County, say they have been dealing with an uptick in the homeless population in the area near East Colonial Drive, along Econlockhatchee Trail and Dean Road.
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“We worry something will happen,” said Juan Diaz, a Union Park resident who’s lived in the area for more than 30 years. “They [homeless individuals] used to camp out across from Colonial, and I guess the government owns that property, Orange County, and they took them out of there. There’s a school here, Union Park Elementary, and there’s another school right across from there, too. Our concern is for the children.”
Diaz said as many as 100 individuals live on the streets in the area. It is a busy section along East Colonial Drive near Blanchard Park. The area is full of small shops, public schools, restaurants, and many homeless encampments. “Every single day, the situation is the same,” said Lariana Cervantes in Spanish. She owns a nail salon on East Colonial Drive. “This is impacting my business and all the other businesses in this area because our clients complain about it. Especially in my case because I have a beauty salon.
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Channel 9 obtained videos from different nights showing the reality after hours. Folks sleeping on the sidewalk near the business.
“I definitely sympathize with business owners, and I also empathize with our homeless friends because they have no other option other than staying out in the woods,” said Tim McKinney, CEO of United Global Outreach. “It’s a negative situation for everyone right now because of the lack of access to shelter capacity and permanent supportive housing in East Orange County.”
Channel 9 reached out to Orange County for comment. The county explained it has ongoing initiatives to address homelessness here in this area, including partnerships with local outreach organizations.
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