Osceola County leaders launch program to help families become homeowners

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OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Osceola County leaders are launching a program to help combat the housing crisis.

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The initiative is aimed at helping families become homeowners.

For many families, that can be out of reach. Especially now with the lack of affordable housing.

The Salvation Army and other community organizations are teaming up to start a new housing program in Osceola County.

READ: ‘This crisis is only going to get worse’: Many struggling to find affordable housing in Florida

“We will pay their rent for a whole year, have them go through financial literacy, get all the tools they need to master down payments and more people into homeownership to help abate this housing crisis,” said Cpt. Ken Chapman with Salvation Army.

The organizations will work with eight to 10 families to start.

READ: Rent in Central Florida has increased by more than 20% in the last year

Those families have already been vetted.

They hope to expand this program to help more people down the road.

READ: Why Orlando’s housing market is so attractive to investors

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