By Taylor M. Coffman
Herald Correspondent
Dave’s House, a Central Florida non-profit aimed at providing housing for adults with mental illness, has made another step forward in their most ambitious housing project yet: their first multi-unit housing community in Seminole County.
In 2024, the nonprofit was approved by the Sanford City Commissioners in a unanimous vote for the annexation of 4.8 acres of land at 2340 Celery Avenue.
Founded by Lin and Ron Wilensky in 2009, the driving mission behind Dave’s House is to provide permanent supportive housing for adults struggling with serious mental illness so that their residents have a place to “thrive, reclaim dignity, and rebuild their lives.” So far, Dave’s House has built six houses in Orange County, letting them help hundreds of residents over the last fifteen years. Now, they’ve decided to expand their horizons to reach even more people with their new multi-unit housing community.
In 2023, Dave’s House secured five acres of land for the new community from Family of Friends, Inc.; the next year, they were awarded a million-dollar grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. In 2025, with engineering and design of the project underway, Dave’s House has officially announced its development and construction partners for the multi-unit community - and they did it in style, at their most recent Dave’s House Party
Every year, Dave’s House hosts Dave’s House Party, the organization’s biggest fundraising event of the year. This year’s party, which took place on Sep. 20, was dubbed “Mission: Possible” to reflect the organization’s belief that “ending homelessness for individuals with serious mental illness is not only necessary–it’s possible when the right people, resources, and community partners come together,” according to Ellen O'Connor, CEO of Dave's House.
The biggest event of the night was Dave’s House announcing that they would be partnering with HomeAid Orlando and Community Assisted & Supported Living (CASL) for the construction of their new multi-unit housing community.
“Featuring 8 duplex homes with room for 31 residents, a 3,500 sq. ft. community center, and wraparound services, this community will more than double our housing capacity and set a replicable model for supportive housing across Florida,” Dave’s House said in a press release, adding that “this community represents more than housing—it offers a new path forward.”
Though the partnership announcement was one of the biggest draws of Dave’s House Party, it was far from the only notable event happening that night. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings was awarded the 2025 Dr. Joel C. Hunter Legacy Award for his “steadfast leadership in expanding mental health resources and championing affordable housing.” There was also a performance by local non-profit Chance 2Dance in collaboration with Dave’s House residents, and the “Heroes Auction”, where the City of Orlando Fire Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and Orange County Corrections auctioned off “behind-the-scenes” and “Hero for a Day” experiences to raise money for future Dave’s House endeavors.
Sitework on the new Dave’s House multi-unit community is expected to begin sometime in 2026. For more updates on the status of the project, follow Dave’s House on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Those interested in learning more about Dave’s House or donating to the organization can do so at https://www.daveshouse.org/
