Residents voice concerns over Disney’s proposed affordable housing project

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Disney did not get the welcome they might have hoped for during a meeting to discuss its future plans.

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Local residents came out Thursday to discuss the affordable housing project Disney is looking to build.

Leaders in Orange County took a vote from the residents, and the number in favor—versus not—was pretty considerable.

Read: Thousands of people applied for a public housing waitlist to find system overloaded

Disney wants to build more than 1,000 homes off of Hartzog Road in Horizon West.

“This is adding 1,400 homes onto a two-lane road. That also has a school. Safety is a concern,” said Horizon West resident Charles Hassle.

Read: ‘Our biggest need’: New affordable housing complex in the works for Orlando; see who qualifies

Some residents said they are worried about the project’s location in Horizon West, a rapidly growing area, and the potential strain on public infrastructure.

Disney provided several updates about how they were addressing resident concerns, and an Orange County Public Schools representative confirmed that the school district has the capacity to handle the influx of students.

“Our goal remains to help solve and contribute to what Orange County leaders have identified as one of the top issues in our region. We look forward to returning to the Board of County Commissioners and presenting this unique plan to bring more than 1,000 affordable housing units to Central Florida,” said a Disney spokesperson.

It is now up to Orange County commissioners whether to sign off on the project.

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