By Roger Jimenez, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
In a city where homelessness is too often ignored, a bus and a building might spark a turning point. Together, they represent a bold new chapter for Apopka, as its leaders weigh whether to partner with Matthew’s Hope Ministries on a mobile sleeper bus and a permanent resource center to serve the city’s unhoused residents.
Matthew's Hope, a nonprofit organization serving Central Florida's homeless population, introduced a unique new service to Apopka at its June 4th City Council meeting: a sleeper bus designed to provide short-term rest and mental health support to individuals experiencing homelessness. Pastor Scott Billue, who leads the organization, outlined the proposal to city leaders with a clear message: Matthew's Hope is not asking for money, only a place to park the bus overnight.
Related from 2021: Apopka Resource Center pushing past headwinds to create a hub to offer services for struggling families.
Founded in 2010, Matthew's Hope Ministries is a faith-based nonprofit organization headquartered in Winter Garden, providing individualized support and transitional services to the homeless population in Central Florida. Through a combination of outreach programs, life skills training, mental health support, and job development opportunities, Matthew's Hope equips individuals with the skills they need to rebuild their lives. Over the years, it has become a trusted resource for Orange and surrounding counties, serving hundreds of individuals annually through its resource center, medical clinic, educational workshops, and mobile services like showers and laundry.
The proposal centers on the use of a mobile "sleeper bus," which would serve as a safe, clean, and temporary overnight refuge for up to 20 people. Participants would reserve a spot in advance and could stay for a maximum of three nights. Each bus is equipped with restrooms, daily linen service, secure storage for personal items and pets, and is monitored by security personnel and onboard cameras.
"Our approach is very different from most," Billue said. "Quite honestly, anyone can feed someone and give them secondhand clothing. What we do is work to move people towards a life of independence and self-sustainability by making sure the tools they have in their toolbox are there to get them to move forward, all with the understanding that most of the folks we see on the streets will most likely die on the streets. That's just the facts."
According to Billue, the bus would arrive in the evenings, remain overnight, and leave by 7 a.m. the next morning, returning to the Matthew's Hope headquarters in Winter Garden. Transportation to and from the site would be provided to prevent the congregation of large groups.
This initiative follows the recent passage of Florida Statute 1365, which prohibits local governments from allowing people to sleep in public spaces, such as sidewalks and parks. Billue voiced his strong opposition to the law during his presentation.
"Imagine, Mayor (Nelson), every night I walk into your home and every couple of hours I wake you up and simply ask you to move to the next room. What is your rest going to be like? Imagine a flashlight in your face every few hours, and you're told to move along. Where can I go? They say, I can't tell you that, but not here. And 'not here' is simply not an answer, but that is what's happening," he said.
When asked by commissioners about a potential location for the sleeper bus, Apopka Mayor Bryan Nelson clarified that no site had been looked at yet.
"No, I wanted to get the green light from the council that this is something that we would like to pursue, and then we can reach out to some local churches, also identify some of the city properties we have," Nelson said.
Nelson also proposed that the City provide further assistance by covering insurance costs.
"If we partner with a church, I would recommend that the City Council pay for their insurance because they are helping us, and whatever burden we can take off will help… I'm not looking for a handout; I want to be a hand up. I think, as a council, we need to commit dollars. I'm not asking you to do it for free," said Nelson.
Commissioner Nick Nesta asked about the timeline for launching the bus program.
"Once we know we have a place to go, we can pull the trigger. You're probably looking at about 120 days out from that, so certainly by the end of the year, possibly quicker," said Billue.
Nesta presents a plan for the Apopka Resource Center
Later in the meeting, Nesta introduced a presentation for a long-term solution: a dedicated City of Apopka Resource Center to be managed by Matthew's Hope. The suggested location is a city-owned building at 21 North Highland Ave., adjacent to the city's dog park and near a cemetery.
The building, formerly a residence, includes 2,800 square feet of air-conditioned space and roughly 5,000 square feet under roof, along with three bathrooms and two storage outbuildings. Nesta's preliminary renovation estimates included $150,000 for exterior updates—such as siding, roofing, fencing, and ADA upgrades—and $205,000 for interior systems, including plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, totaling approximately $355,000.
"We've had a lot of discussion today in reference to the unhoused and having a resource center. I know a lot of residents and business owners have asked for it, and it's a need that we have had for years, well before I got elected. Like Matthew's Hope said, this isn't going to go away overnight, but we can ease the pain a little bit," said Nesta.
Under the proposed plan, the city would fund the restoration while leasing the property to Matthew's Hope for operation.
Though she expressed support for the proposal, Commissioner Nadia Anderson questioned the timing of Nesta's presentation.
"Is there a reason why you didn't bring up your presentation... that you had identified a location that we could have spoke about earlier? Anderson asked. "I'm just curious and want to understand your reasoning."
"There wasn't a correct time to do it," Nesta responded. "That was Matthew's Hope time, specifically for buses. Again, buses don't need to be parked out here if you guys don't want them out there."
Commissioner Alexander Smith noted that other local organizations, including the Next Step Ministries Foundation, had also expressed interest in a resource center, questioning why they were not involved in the proposal.
"The resources and the foundation that Mathew's Hope has created, I think, make them the perfect group to align with," Nesta said. "I think they've shown their track record here, and this also creates an opportunity for the local nonprofits to partner with them locally. I think that's where the value really comes from."
City Administrator Radley Williams also added a logistical complication: the proposed site is currently scheduled for demolition to make way for cemetery maintenance facilities, a project already in the civil design phase.
"The building was scheduled to be demolished because of the condition it's in, so if we do renovate, there'd be a lot of renovation costs we'd have to look at. The outbuildings are also concerning… What I need is clarity on how to proceed with the civil engineering for the cemetery maintenance storage building," said Williams.
Anderson suggested that the City hold a public workshop to evaluate the proposal more thoroughly and allow for community input.
The council concluded the meeting with a commitment to review the proposal further and reach a decision by the next city council meeting, which is scheduled for June 18th at 7 pm in the Council Chambers of Apopka City Hall.
