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Tag: APP Affordable Housing

  • Housing, Pinellas storm-ready projects among state budget vetoes

    Housing, Pinellas storm-ready projects among state budget vetoes

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A number of line items affecting Pinellas County projects didn’t make the cut in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ $116.5 billion state budget.

    What You Need To Know

    • Gov. Ron DeSantis called the 2024-25 budget fiscally conservative

    • Millions of dollars were cut from the budget that would have funded a slew of projects locally, from education to restoration to affordable housing

    • A boardwalk replacement project at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve was also vetoed

    Shortly after signing the budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, DeSantis called the budget fiscally conservative, saying the state wanted to keep it in a certain parameter. The governor cut millions of dollars from the budget that would have funded a slew of projects locally, from education to restoration to affordable housing.

    Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco counties was denied a $3 million request that would have helped build 105 affordable homes in three subdivisions. The requested funding would have gone specifically to infrastructure, engineering and land acquisition for the new builds.

    Last year, DeSantis approved $2 million in the state budget for the local nonprofit but vetoed this year’s request.

    “We understand Governor DeSantis has some tough decisions to make when signing the budget, and we were unfortunately part of the veto list. As we approach our 900th home celebration next week, we will continue partnering with our community to make affordable homeownership opportunities available in Pinellas, West Pasco, and Hernando Counties,” President and Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco counties Mike Sutton said in a statement.

    In southern Pinellas County, just more than $1 million was cut for a boardwalk replacement project at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve.

    The Local Funding Initiative request states the existing boardwalk isn’t safe anymore and is important for providing unique access to the area’s different ecosystems. Park staff said they have roughly 90,000 visitors each year.

    Alizza Punzalan-Randle, the St. Pete mayor’s office managing director for communications and community engagement, issued the following statement:

    “Through the state’s appropriations process, the city of St. Petersburg was successful in securing $300,000 towards a St. Pete Fire Rescue ladder truck, which will help meet critical public safety needs in our city. While all of our requests were not funded, St. Pete is fiscally strong and will pursue other resources to complete our projects.

    “We are grateful for the leadership of our delegation members who advocated for our projects. We are also pleased that these city-supported projects were signed into law: USF St. Petersburg’s Office of Veteran’s Success ($10 million); St. Pete College’s Manufacturing Lab ($1 million); and St. Pete College Palladium Theater ($1 million).”

    In an effort to prepare for a major storm, Pinellas County was hoping for just more than $1 million to install power backup systems for sewer pump stations.

    The Local Funding Initiative request states the funding would have been used to provide sewer collection services during power outages to essential infrastructure — including local hospitals, shelters, nursing homes and emergency operations centers.

    Public Information Coordinator Sydney Criteser issued the following statement.

    “The existing generators have been in use from 20 to over 30 years. Some of these generators need to be replaced due to age, while others will be installed at pump stations that do not have permanent generators in place,” the statement said. “Our utilities department is currently reviewing the generator budget for any adjustments now that the supplemental funding request from the state has been vetoed.”

    Other local vetoes included $550,000 for sand erosion and improving water quality at St. Pete’s North Shore Park and another $500,000 for education programs at the Dali Museum.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Talbot House Ministries expanding homeless services to Winter Haven

    Talbot House Ministries expanding homeless services to Winter Haven

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    WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Talbot House Ministries in Lakeland is hoping to bring relief to homeless families by expanding its services into Winter Haven.

    What You Need To Know

    • Talbot House Ministries purchased property in Winter Haven to expand services for woman, children and families

    • The new facility will help expand their residential programs to help families find affordable housing, establish a food pantry and a clinic

    • Polk County has over 600 people that are homeless, according to the homeless coalition of Polk County

    This new facility will help expand their residential programs to help families find affordable housing, establish a food pantry and a clinic. It will also house 82 people.

    “We have a bulk of uncounted families sleeping in the cars or couch surfing with family members and friends,” said Talbot House Ministries executive director Maria Cruz. “So we want to tackle the need of this population.”

    Twice a week you’ll find Cruz helping pack boxes of food at the ministry’s pantry.

    “It’s a very significant service that we provide, we know that food insecurity is a big reason why people become homeless,” she said. “We have the working class people that are struggling to just be able to pay the rent.”

    Right now, Polk County has over 600 people that are homeless, according to the homeless coalition of Polk County. So, Cruz says anything they can help with goes a long way.

    “Our primary service that is used is the emergency shelter. We are serving over 120 and 130 individuals any given night of the year,” she said.

    Bringing services to Winter Haven, Cruz says, will hopefully create a brighter future for more people.

    Talbot House Ministries will begin renovation of the purchased property in the next few months with the goal of opening early next year.

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    Lizbeth Gutierrez

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  • Housing agencies look to help youth aging out of foster care

    Housing agencies look to help youth aging out of foster care

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, youth who age out of foster care often lose the support and stability provided by the system, leading to a high risk of homelessness.

    What You Need To Know

    • According to the U.S. Department of Housing and urban development, youth who age out of foster care often lose the support and stability provided by the system, leading to a high risk of homelessness

    • HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence program made $13 million available for public housing agencies to address this problem

    • 22-year-old Shiane Bunch says she struggled to find housing since aging out of the foster care system about a year ago, but found Swan Lake, an affordable housing community in Lakeland

    “Looking for housing, especially without a reference, is a struggle,” said first-time renter Shiane Bunch.

    The 22-year-old says she struggled to find housing since aging out of the foster care system about a year ago.

    Then she learned about Swan Lake Village, a new affordable housing development by Blue Sky Communities in Lakeland.

    “I learned they accept foster kids, and it was section 8, so I thought it was good to get in here and take the chance, and I finally got in,” said Bunch. 

    She says it’s the best decision she’s made yet as an adult. 

    “I love it here. It’s beautiful,” said Bunch.

    According to the Community Assisted and Supported Living organization (CASL), some young adults who grew up in foster care may not have completed their education or have the necessary skills to secure stable employment. 

    CASL says this can also be a barrier to securing housing.

    This year, HUD’s Foster Youth to Independence program made $13 million available for public housing agencies, like Swan Lake, to address this problem.

    Vivianne Vanador, a case manager with CASL, says on-site services at Swan Lake offer extra support, like counseling, to help clients transition from foster care to independent living.  

    “It’s like they’re still in that frame of mind as a teenager even though they are in their 20s,” said Vanador. “That’s where I come in.” 

    She helps with things like housing vouchers, finding a job, rides to doctor’s appointments and weekly grocery deliveries.

    “I love the support and guidance that I receive here at CASL,” said Bunch, “Living on my own, I do have type one diabetes, so I was a little scared, but they helped me open my mind.” 

    Bunch says the odds can be stacked against people who’ve been in foster care seeking independence.

    “Especially with the rent. How hard it is now, it’s hard to find a place,” she said. “Foster care wasn’t that great of an experience, but it did help me stability-wise.”

    Now with stable housing and a new job, Bunch says she can focus on building the future of her dreams. 

    She hopes to inspire other young people currently in foster care that they can do the same.

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    Fadia Patterson

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  • Study: St. Pete historic home values increased at a higher rate

    Study: St. Pete historic home values increased at a higher rate

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A nonprofit organization called “Preserve the ‘Burg” in St. Petersburg recently conducted a study on the economic impact of historic properties in the city.

    According to Place Economics, homes located in St. Petersburg’s historic districts have experienced higher rates of increase in value compared to the rest of the city.

    What You Need To Know

    • A nonprofit organization called “Preserve the Burg” in St. Petersburg recently conducted a study on the economic impact of historic properties in the city

    • According to Place Economics, homes located in St. Petersburg’s historic districts have experienced higher rates of increase in value compared to the rest of the city

    • Historic district home value rates increased at 119.3% per square foot compared to 85.2% for other St. Petersburg homes

    • Preserve the ‘Burg Executive Director Manny Leto says between 2010 to 2020, jobs on Central Avenue grew by more than 50% compared to the city’s 17% job growth during the same time

    Historic district home value rates increased at 119.3% per square foot compared to 85.2% for other St. Petersburg homes.

    Alec Smith is a specialist architect in historic preservation and renovation. This type of work requires compliance with building codes that are specifically designed for historic properties.

    “These are just kind of some snippets of a project we were working on for a new accessory dwelling unit behind a historic home,” he said while sharing his sketches.

    He draws up his designs in his office, which is situated in his historic home that he renovated.

    “It’s over 100 years old. We are located in Historic Kenwood,” said Smith. “Our home has more than quadrupled in value since owning it in the last 12 years.”

    Alec is not the only homeowner benefitting from his investment.

    A study by Place Economics says home property values in St. Pete’s historic districts have increased at a higher rate than the rest of the city.

    According to the study, lower rent in older buildings on Central Avenue has contributed to the success of small businesses.

    Preserve the ‘Burg Executive Director Manny Leto says between 2010 to 2020, jobs on Central Avenue grew by more than 50% compared to the city’s 17% job growth during the same time. 

    Leto says the study also looked at how historic buildings can help with affordable housing.

    “When we’re talking about affordable housing, we often talk about new, but another component of affordability is keeping your existing stock,” said Leto.

    Principal Donovan Rypkema of Place Economics argues that the idea that additional regulations for historic preservation harm property values is disproven by the study.

    “The other side, however, is of all the city-level studies we’ve done. St Petersburg has the lowest share of them under the protection of the local preservation order,” said Rypkema. “That means most of the historic resources here have no protection at all. They’re at risk of being torn down tomorrow.”

    He explains that the study provides evidence that can be used for advocacy and policy decisions. Meanwhile, Smith supports preserving old structures that give character to the evolving community.

    “I think, you know, with a little bit of love, these homes can last for another hundred years easily because of the quality of materials that were put in them originally,” he said. “You know, those materials don’t exist anymore. We cut down all the forests to build these beautiful homes, but we should take advantage of the old-growth lumber that is built into these homes to keep it to maintain them.”

    Smith says when dealing with historic homes, it’s a guaranteed investment in a solid foundation.

    Discussions about preserving historic communities will continue at the Pinellas Historic Preservation Summit on May 17.

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    Fadia Patterson

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  • Durham homeless woman calls Supreme Court case ‘scary’

    Durham homeless woman calls Supreme Court case ‘scary’

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    DURHAM, N.C — The Supreme Court of the United States is weighing a case that could impact the homeless population.  

    The issue at hand is whether people who sleep in public parks should be charged with a crime.

    What You Need To Know

    • Supreme Court hearing arguments on making it criminal for homeless people to sleep in public parks
    • Homelessness increased 12% between 2022 and 2023
    • A Durham homeless woman says the Supreme Court case is “scary to think about”

    Last week, Spectrum News 1 joined with Housing for New Hope employees in Durham as they handed out supplies at a local encampment.

    A homeless woman at one of the camps said the Supreme Court case was almost too difficult to think about.

    “Making it criminal just to be homeless altogether and have camp, I’d be in jail. We’d all be in jail, and that’s scary to think about,” Stormie Tingle, who is homeless in Durham, said.

    Tingle said she’d lived at the encampment for several months.

    “I’ve liked living here as much as you can, being homeless and being in a camp,” Tingle said.

    But what might be beneficial, in relative terms now, could soon turn bad.

    “We think we have a lot of people in jail now, were gonna have a whole lot more,” Tingle said.

    Tingle is talking about Monday’s Supreme Court case concerning the homelessness crisis.

    The case could have far-reaching consequences for how cities address their homeless populations.

    Homelessness increased 12% between 2022 and 2023, according to the latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

    Now, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments from people living in Grants Pass, Oregon, which has a poverty population of over 15%.

    This is a reality she’d rather not think about as she grapples with the prospect of possibly being jailed.

    “Criminal to be homeless is, uh, you know, everybody to me is just one paycheck away from being exactly where I am. Let them not get that paycheck and find a job after that. What are they gonna do?” Tingle explained.

    The Supreme Court hearing coincides with the highest reported level of homelessness ever. 

    Last year’s point-in-time count, which follows the homeless population, found about 653,000 people were experiencing homelessness across the country.

    That’s up about 70,000 people from the year before.  

    The Supreme Court is expected to announce a final decision on this case in June. 

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    Evan Sery

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  • City of Zephyrhills to vote on extending new housing moratorium

    City of Zephyrhills to vote on extending new housing moratorium

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    ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — The Zephyrhills City Council will soon decide on what to do about a moratorium on new housing developments that it approved unanimously last year.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Zephyrhills City Council voted unanimously last year to put a pause on new housing developments

    • The year-long pause had to do with the city’s water supply, which city officials worried would not be able to meet the growing demand

    • City officials will take a vote in June to decide if they want to extend the current moratorium

    The vote had to do with the city’s water supply, which city officials worried would not be able to meet the growing demand. The year-long pause has given those in the city a chance to see how they can grow.

    But the pause in new housing developments does not mean the city is closing its doors completely, City Manager Billy Poe said.

    “We are open for business and we want to make sure that people know that, and businesses know that,” he said.

    He said the moratorium was put in place because growth was outpacing the city’s ability to provide services.

    “Everyone wanted to come to Florida — the state was open and has great weather,” Poe said. “Who would not want to be here? The subdivisions were fully occupied, and so that put a large strain on our water supply system because we were expecting in 15 to 20 years to hit that capacity, not two to three years.”

    But the moratorium didn’t pause everything. Construction of residential properties that were smaller than an acre were allowed to continue, and current developments and any non-residential developments, like businesses, were free to continue, as well.

    “We just have to make sure we have enough water going forward with all the future projects and future development, which helps lead us to our goal as a city and what our focus is,” said Poe.

    He said there are more plans ahead for the city, with a potential expansion further down the road.

    “Just to be able to provide for the community a place where they want to be and they don’t want to go anywhere else,” Poe said.” To just be proud of Zephyrhills.”

    The City Council is expected to take a vote in June to decide if the current moratorium should end, or continue.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • St. Pete faith leaders to hold prayer vigil over affordable housing issues

    St. Pete faith leaders to hold prayer vigil over affordable housing issues

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Dozens of Pinellas County faith leaders are planning a vigil Wednesday evening, hoping to spark a dialogue with St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch.

    FAST, which stands for Faith and Action for Strength Together, is a group made up of roughly 50 faith-based community leaders from around Pinellas County. They plan to meet around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the St. Peter Cathedral in downtown St. Pete, hoping that Mayor Welch will join them to hear their concerns regarding affordable housing. If the mayor does not attend, FAST leaders say they will head over to city hall and hold a prayer vigil.

    What You Need To Know

    •  FAST wants St. Pete to focus on housing for those making below 80% AMI

    •  Members meeting at St. Peter Cathedral in hopes Mayor Welch joins them 

    •  Prayer vigil to follow at steps of city hall

    Father Curtis said FAST first reached out to the mayor’s office last year to coordinate a meeting regarding affordable housing. Last week, Father Curtis said the mayor’s office agreed to hold the meeting but asked that it be with a few designated representatives of the group. Instead, FAST leaders decided that every congregation should be involved, so they would meet at the St. Peter Cathedral and ask the mayor to join them.

    “We’ve been reaching out to the mayor’s office for more than four months trying to get a meeting with him to talk about plans for affordable housing,” said Father Curtis Carro of St. Raphael Catholic Church. “He wanted to meet with just a small faction of our group, but we want all the member congregations to be able to have their voice heard.”

    Pastor Robert Ward of Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church feels the city hasn’t been fully transparent when talking about affordable housing goals. He feels a new housing development should only be labeled affordable if it markets to those making below a certain income level.

    “Right now we’re seeing that they’re calling these type of units for people above 80% area median income affordable housing… so it’s very misleading,” he said.

    A spokesperson for the City of St. Pete said the city has affordable housing goals that align with those of FAST.

    “The City of St. Petersburg’s overall goals continue to align with FAST’s mission to protect, uplift, and educate families, especially in the critical area of affordable housing. At our 2024 State of the Economy, we shared a key update about the city’s comprehensive 10-year Housing Opportunities for All Plan: we have met 67% of our goal to create and preserve 3,200 multi-family homes by 2030. This percentage reflects the total number of units—2,146—that are in process, funded, permit-approved, under construction, preserved, or completed. Reaching or exceeding 100% of this goal can only occur through the strong public-private partnerships that the city enjoys with multiple community stakeholders, businesses, and organizations. We look forward to continuing our work together for the benefit of our families and communities in St. Pete,” city spokesperson Erica Riggins shared in a statement.

    FAST leaders say they want to collaborate and innovate new solutions with the city and to do that, it’s imperative to get Mayor Welch’s support.

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    Angie Angers

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  • Grant rewards homeowners for making afforable housing available

    Grant rewards homeowners for making afforable housing available

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    WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — In her spare time, Dorothy Foster is putting together scrap books for her kids.

    What You Need To Know

    • A program in Winter Haven allows homeowners with detached garages or other buildings to get thousands of dollars to convert those buildings into affordable housing 

    •  The program, through the the Accessory Dwelling Units Grant, gives homeowners five thousand dollars for each room they put in a detached dwelling on their property

    •  So far, only one person has participated in the program, and received 15 thousand dollars for converting a barn into a three-bedroom home

    “It’s just little memories of things we used to do, things that I told my kids,” she said.

    Forster, a single mom living in Winter Haven, works for the local school board and is doing whatever she can to make a great life for her family and keep those memories in these folders.

    “You have the pictures and what was said and just you just bring it back to life,” she said.

    Memories are important for Foster because it shows just how far she’s come.

    According to Foster, she was homeless for six months living in a shelter this past year in Lakeland.

    “No one at the school board knew I was homeless,” said Foster. “And it’s just I showed up for work every day and with a smile on my face and, you know, did what I had to do for my family.”

    Now, she lives in a quirky, spacious barn that’s been converted into her home with the help of a grant from the city of Winter Haven and the nonprofit Heart for Winter Haven.

    “It’s great to see a family thriving and having something like a barn turn into a home,” said Butch Rahman, the owner of the barn who is leasing the property to Foster.

    Rahman originally bought the property because of the home in front of the barn and his realtor told him about a program the city is doing where they give $5,000 for each room a person builds in a detached building for affordable housing, called the Accessory Dwelling Units Grant.

    So, after six months of renovations, Rahman made the barn a three-bedroom home and, more importantly, it’s now Foster’s home at a price she can afford.

    “Dorothy had, you know, a setback or two,” Rahman said. “And, you know, once you’re in that setback, it’s hard to get out. Sometimes it gets worse and worse. Well, she just needed a helping hand to get out of that and now she has that, and she’s got a beautiful home for her two beautiful kids.”

    Which is huge for Foster because she says rent prices are just way out of her budget right now.

    Having this place is a dream.

    “I can get back to the memories and stuff that our kids used to make, just coming home, telling funny stories again,” Foster said. “It’s nice to be able to have that opportunity to do it again.”

    With even more opportunities to add memories to her scrap books.

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    Nick Popham

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  • Best friends experience first-time homeownership as neighbors

    Best friends experience first-time homeownership as neighbors

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — According to a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors, Black homeownership still lags behind white homeownership by almost 30%, despite recent increases.

    This disparity can be attributed to systemic factors, such as redlining and inequitable access to mortgage credit. To address this, Habitat for Humanity launched the “Advancing Black Homeownership” initiative, which aims to dismantle the bias that has prevented Black families from accessing intergenerational wealth.

    What You Need To Know

    • Childhood friends Nikkita Houston and Marita Harris both experienced homeownership for the first time after going through Habitat’s program

    • According to a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors, Black homeownership still lags behind white homeownership by almost 30%, despite an increase in Black homeownership

    • Over the course of its 45-year history, Habitat has worked to help close the homeownership gap

    • In 2021, 43% of the families who partnered with Habitat to build homes were Black

    Childhood friends Nikkita Houston and Marita Harris both experienced homeownership for the first time after going through Habitat’s program.

    Over the course of its 45-year history, Habitat has worked to help close the homeownership gap. In 2021, 43% of the families who partnered with Habitat to build homes were Black.

    “This is my first time owning a home,” said Houston. “So, being a divorced mom, you know, I didn’t know what was going to be possible.” 

    Houston is building a home for herself and her two children with the help of Habitat for Humanity.

    “I’m so excited about my new space, about my new home, because it’s much more than a house,” said Houston. “Habitat homes are not free. They are a 0% interest loan. So we will have a mortgage, though, but it will be affordable, and that is exciting.”

    She says that it’s not only about changing the address, but it’s also about creating a community.

    Marita Harris also signed up for Habitat for Humanity with the support of Houston.

    “I didn’t really think it was attainable for me just because of the economy that we are in,” said Harris.

    The childhood friends found out they were going to be neighbors last May when Habitat for Humanity surprised them with lots beside each other.

    “When you’re friends with somebody for so long, you might not talk every day. You might not see each other every day. But we always have that connection,” said Harris. “So for us to come back full circle and be living next to each other as neighbors. Absolutely amazing.”

    Both women have invested over 350 hours of sweat equity into building their dream homes. Soon, they will create new memories in their homes.

    “It’s really a dream come true,” Houston. “It’s so much bigger than me and Rita and our kids like because we are such dedicated mothers. I know she is a dedicated mother. I know I’m a dedicated mother and the things that we do for our children and to be able to give them everything that they deserve and more.”

    As mothers, the two aim to lead by example and provide their children with access to generational wealth.

    “When the inevitable happens, and I leave this earth, it’ll be my son’s, and he can have this home, and he can continue the legacy that Habitat has brought us,” said Harris.

    They’re grateful to not only stand side by side as friends, but now neighbors as well.

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    Fadia Patterson

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