Pinellas County approves $14.4 million for affordable housing projects
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Nov 1, 2023

The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners has approved $14.4 million in funding to help build more than 300 affordable homes for rent and homeownership.

Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties’ townhome project in Largo received $2 million. The 54 townhomes are planned for Longlake Preserves, located at 1756 S Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. The townhomes will be for those making at or below 120% of the area median income, which breaks down to roughly $73,080 a year for an individual or $104,280 a year for a family of four.

Habitat owns the property and has secured $2 million from the county, $469,000 from the city of Largo and $884,600 from the state of Florida. Construction is expected to begin in December.

Commissioners also agreed to increase funding from $5.6 million to $12.4 million for a previously approved development in St. Petersburg called Fairfield Avenue Apartments. The project at 3300 Fairfield Ave. S will build 254 units at a former lumber yard.

Of the total units, 53 residences will be for households earning less than 50% AMI, 67 units will be for those making at or below 80% AMI and the remaining units will be for those earning less than 120% AMI.

The city of St. Petersburg has also increased financial support for the project due to it experiencing “significant cost increases.” The project has received $12.4 million from the county, $56.1 million in a federal Department of Housing and Urban Development loan and $9.7 million from the city of St. Petersburg.

According to the county, the two projects “exemplify the goals of the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact, a partnership between Pinellas County, Forward Pinellas and cities to preserve and create more homes that local people at all income levels can afford.”

In the past three years, the county has supported the development of more than 1,200 affordable and workforce housing units. There are currently 660 additional units approved for funding, including Longlake Preserves and Fairfield Avenue Apartments.