A year ago, Walt Disney World announced it would be building an affordable housing development on the west side of the property, and this week, new details were released. Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle and the Disney team working on this project met earlier… Read More »Walt Disney World Releases New Details on Its Affordable Housing Project
In April 2022, Walt Disney World announced it was planning to build affordable housing in Central Florida, and it has just released details on a location and developer picked for the project. About the Project Walt Disney World plans to build more than 1,300 affordable… Read More »Walt Disney World Releases Details on Its Affordable Housing Project
Walt Disney World has announced plans to build more than 1,300 affordable housing units across about 80 acres near the west side of the property. It will be build by a third party developer, and located in close proximity to schools and the new and… Read More »Walt Disney World to Build Affordable Housing in Central Florida
The rising costs of rent in Southern California have left many facing difficulty finding affordable housing. According to the Orange County Housing Trust, there are 2,700 people homeless who have an immediate need for housing in Orange County. As it turns out that is also… Read More »Disneyland makes a big gift toward housing the homeless in Orange County
The ever-aspiring muckraker Steve Lopez, in his Points West column in Sunday’s Los Angeles Times, pokes his finger in Disney’s chest. He writes about the seeming contradiction between the low wages of Disneyland cast members and Disney fighting "affordable" housing in the Anaheim Resort area.
But at the end of the workday, many of the people who work at the "Happiest Place on Earth" sleep on air mattresses, in by-the-week motel rooms and in apartments shared with other families.
"I’ve been at this motel since 1997," said Derrick, a Disney security guard who pays $209 a week rent. He spoke to me Thursday night while standing in the doorway of the room he shares with two elderly aunts at Arena Inn and Suites in Anaheim, about a mile from his job.
When I was working full-time as a Disneyland cast member, which wasn’t all that long ago, I was able to afford a bachelor apartment by myself within 15 minutes of the Resort.
First, Disney challenged the right of a council member to cast a vote on the housing because she intends to open a wine bar in the area and might have a conflict of interest.
More after the jump – be forewarned that I get politically opinionated.