Riverview homebuilder Homes by WestBay launches multifamily, built-to-rent division
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jul 23, 2024

A Riverview-based homebuilder that's among the fastest-growing companies in Tampa Bay is launching a rental division to focus on multifamily and built-to-rent properties.

Homes by WestBay, the parent company of Casa Fresca Homes, said Tuesday that it has appointed Brian LeBlanc vice president of multifamily. LeBlanc was previously with Roers Cos. before joining Homes by WestBay.

LeBlanc's initial focus is on land acquisition for rental properties. Once he builds a development pipeline, LeBlanc will also oversee those projects through "entitlements, design, capitalization, construction, operations and ultimately disposition," the builder said.

“We’ve always been very intentional in understanding our homebuyers and maintaining a keen eye on providing exceptional homes for desired lifestyles,” Willy Nunn, president of Homes by WestBay, said in a statement. “Our entry into multifamily and build-to-rent strategies will complement our luxury and attainable brands, and we continue to deliver exceptional design, quality and value that our customers expect.”

The rental division comes on the heels of WestBay's foray into master-planned communities. It has four in various stages of development: Hawkstone, in Lithia and Riverview, which launched in 2020; Crosswind Ranch in Parrish, launched in mid-2023; and Pasadena Ridge, which is in site development and plans to begin home sales in mid-2025 and Mitchell Falls, which will launch home sales in 2026.

In 2022, Homes by WestBay closed 991 home sales in the Tampa Bay region, according to data provided to the Tampa Bay Business Journal. The builder formed operating divisions to manage its growth in 2023. Earlier this year, Casa Fresca Homes reorganized to expand in Central and West Florida after a $100 million land-buying spree.

“Homes by West Bay has invested nearly $96 million in large land acquisitions to allow us to create scaled homebuilding and quality communities to an even broader base of residents,” Mark Metheny, president of Casa Fresca and Homes by WestBay Land, said in a statement. “With carefully chosen business partners and experts, we are planning our communities to bring more thoughtful and attainable homebuilding to the Tampa Bay region over the next two years.”