Tampa's affordable housing count tops 10,000 units

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor declared that the city has exceeded its target for adding 10,000 affordable housing units.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Castor stated that the total number of homes has surpassed the benchmark, though the count includes units that are not yet fully occupied. She explained that the figure encompasses homes that have been built, rehabilitated, or are currently in the planning stage. Castor expressed pride in the number, noting that it has gone over 10,000 despite her earlier doubts about hitting the goal by the end of her second term.

Abbye Feeley, the city’s administrator for development and economic opportunity, provided the breakdown for the total. She reported that more than 4,700 units are either complete or under construction, with another 5,000 in progress. Feeley noted that the city’s count has risen sharply from the roughly 8,300 units Castor reported in May. This increase is driven by several large development projects now in the works, including a north downtown project at the former Army-Navy Surplus Market site and the upcoming redevelopment of Robles Park Village.

Castor acknowledged that the next mayor will take credit for the final completion of many of these units, similar to how she claimed credit for projects finished during her current term. She emphasized that her administration has invested heavily in this area, a stance she has maintained for years. This announcement follows a 2023 report by the Tampa Bay Times which suggested the city had exaggerated its progress toward this specific goal. Castor previously dismissed those findings as splitting hairs.

The milestone was highlighted by the story of Oscar Beasley, a first-time homebuyer who purchased his new residence with city assistance. Beasley, who worked as a truck driver after serving two decades in prison, thanked Castor outside his home on Wednesday. He stated that without the city’s support, he would not have had the opportunity to buy the house. Castor used his story to illustrate the impact of the Dare to Own the Dream Homeownership Program.

This program provides down payment and closing-cost assistance to first-time buyers, offering up to $50,000 depending on household income. Castor said that more than 70 residents closed on homes through this initiative this fiscal year. She also shared that her own son recently needed assistance with a down payment to purchase a home, underscoring the current difficulty of buying a house in the market.

Castor told Beasley that his achievement was a big deal and offered her congratulations. The city’s housing goal has been a central theme in her speeches and campaign efforts for years. The final count will continue to evolve as the projects identified by Feeley move from the planning phase to completion.