KISSIMMEE — The City Commission moved to reallocate a portion of its social-services and quality-of-life funding to support the Haven on Vine program and to pause the competitive social-services grant process for the coming year.

After a city staff presentation the commission approved directing $300,000 to Haven on Vine, with the remaining portion of the FY allocation (roughly $150,000) to be distributed among existing nonprofit partners whose programs align with the city’s housing and wraparound-service goals. Commissioners instructed staff to suspend the typical notice-of-funding-availability competitive cycle for the coming fiscal year and to return with recommended distributions tied to measurable deliverables.

Deputy City Manager Desiree Matthews told the commission the proposed change would let the city focus resources on renovation and services at the Haven’s community services center and studio apartments; staff noted construction and renovation phases are already underway and some federal HOME/ARP and CDBG suballocations were also being used to support aspects of the Haven project. Frances de Jesus of Development Services presented related federal-program amendments later in the meeting (see separate item).

Commissioners asked for stronger deliverables and tightened accountability from nonprofit partners. Vice Mayor Angela Eady said the city must ensure fines are collected and grant recipients meet measurable outcomes; several commissioners said they wanted contracts or agreements that specify outcomes and budgets before issuing funds. Commissioner Martinez emphasized protecting the city’s investment in the Haven and said the city should require partners to propose how their services would achieve concrete outcomes.

The commission approved the staff recommendation by voice vote; commissioners said staff would return with a recommended distribution plan and service-level agreements showing specific outcomes, and that the city would pursue larger accountability and coordination among providers. City staff said the city’s available funding for social services and quality-of-life programs in the proposed budget is $450,000 and that the commission’s direction would allocate $300,000 to Haven and roughly $150,000 across other agencies, with staff exploring an additional $50,000 through budget adjustments if feasible.

The assistant city manager and staff emphasized that some Haven-related costs are also being funded through federal CDBG and HOME-ARP amendments approved earlier in the meeting, and that the city intends to contract with nonprofit providers to deliver wraparound services at Haven rather than deliver them directly.