Largo affordable housing project gets state grant
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Oct 4, 2022

An affordable housing project in Largo has received financial support from the state legislature.

Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties received $500,000 in Local Support Grant funding from the Florida State Legislature. The group plans to use the funds to support infrastructure costs for its upcoming development in Largo — 57 newly constructed townhomes.

The homes will be sold on a fee simple basis to income-qualified buyers. All of the units will go toward homebuyers that make at or below 80% area median income.

“This funding will support the homeownership dreams of over 50 families,” Mike Sutton, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties, said in a release. “The Local Support Grant will enable us to complete the development by providing critical infrastructure dollars that we do not have available in our current budget.”

Habitat is in the development review phase for the project and said it intends to break ground in the next six months. The 57 townhomes will have a mix of two- to three-bedrooms and an estimated 1,200 square feet per unit.

In total, the project is estimated to cost $12 million.

The money was approved on Sept. 9 during a Joint Legislative Budget Commission meeting. During the meeting, the group considered $175 million in Local Support Grants for the upcoming fiscal year. Members of the Legislature were able to request the grants for “local governments, education entities, or privately-operated programs to support local initiatives,” according to a release.

Habitat Pinellas and West Pasco worked closely with Johnston & Stewart Government Strategies and the request’s sponsor Rep. Chris Latvala to secure the funding. Latvala said the “opportunity to own a home is life-changing.”

“Hardworking families who will be paying a mortgage will now have an affordable place to call home,” Latvala said in a release. “I’m happy to support such a project.”