Kissimmee wants to shift unspent federal block grant money to repairs at Haven on Vine. Comments run Nov. 13 to Dec. 15, with a public meeting Dec. 15.
Kissimmee plans to move $107,134.26 in unspent federal grant money into repairs at Haven on Vine, the city-owned apartments on West Vine Street. Most of it comes from money set aside for public services that has not been spent.
The change is the third amendment to the city’s 2025 Annual Action Plan for its Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city published the notice of the comment period and public meeting on Thursday. The full notice is a PDF in English and Spanish.
What would change
The city received $1,000,854 for the 2025 grant year. The notice says $893,719.74 has been spent so far, leaving $107,134.26.
The proposal would:
- move $103,570 left over in public services to the Haven on Vine rehabilitation
- move $3,564.26 from planning and administration to the same project
- move $14,596.92 from planning and administration to code enforcement, which has spent that much more than its original $85,000
| Activity | Original amount | Spent so far | Proposed amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public services | $150,128 | $46,558 | $46,558 |
| Housing rehabilitation | $565,556 | $565,556 | $672,690.26 |
| Code enforcement | $85,000 | $99,596.92 | $99,596.92 |
| Planning and administration | $200,170 | $182,008.82 | $182,008.82 |
| Total | $1,000,854 | $893,719.74 | $1,000,854 |
The figures are from the city’s notice. The notice does not say which Haven on Vine work the money would pay for.
What Haven on Vine is
Haven on Vine is a former hotel on West Vine Street that the city bought in June 2023, the Nov. 3 agenda packet says. When finished it will have 83 affordable units and 40 emergency and bridge housing units, according to the city’s Haven on Vine page. Priority goes to people experiencing homelessness, victims of domestic violence, families with children, seniors and veterans.
On Nov. 3, the City Commission approved a block grant contract with Abe’s Electric of up to $718,529.38 to rewire all 10 apartment buildings and give each unit its own meter. That is according to the Nov. 3 agenda packet and the action summary. The packet says that contract is paid from block grant money already set aside for the property. We reported the Nov. 3 votes in our story on the Vine Street CRA plan.
What it means for you
Anyone can comment on the change from Friday, Nov. 13, through Tuesday, Dec. 15.
- Email Frances De Jesus at the city’s Housing and Community Development Division, frances.dejesus@kissimmee.gov.
- Or write to Citizen Comment/City Manager Office, Housing and Community Development Division, 101 Church St., Kissimmee, FL 34741.
- A draft of the amended plan is available at the city’s Housing and Community Development Office at City Hall.
The City Commission will take comments at a public meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, in the commission chambers at City Hall, 101 Church St. People with disabilities who need help to take part can call 407-518-2162, ext. 2156, at least 48 weekday hours before the meeting.
The comment period is the time to say whether the leftover public services money should go to Haven on Vine or stay where it was.
Have your say