66 affordable apts underway in St. Pete, with hundreds more coming this spring
For lifelong Pinellas residents like Jalinda Williams, affordable apartments like the 66 now under construction in South St. Petersburg represent a stable life for her children right here in their hometown.
Williams joined elected officials and developers from Blue Sky Communities on Wednesday to celebrate construction of SkyWay Lofts II, located next to the affordable apartments she’s called home for the past two years.
The groundbreaking event for the new $26.8-million development at 3800 34th St. S. is the first of many events this spring that will bring hundreds of new affordable and workforce homes to the county.
“When I was growing up in this community, it wasn’t that hard to find a home you could afford. Now I know a lot of people who are working hard but their job doesn’t pay the rent anymore, and some of them have become homeless,” said Williams, a licensed nurse practitioner who moved into SkyWay Lofts in 2022 after a spike in rent forced her to find a new place to live with her two children.
“I’m thankful I found a good home here where I don’t have the worry about the rent going up or my family having to search for a new place to live.”
Pinellas County Commissioners Charlie Justice and Rene Flowers joined St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth T. Welch, Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Vice-Chair Copley Gerdes along with staff, local officials and community advocates to celebrate the start of the new development next door to Williams’ home.
The County, City of St. Petersburg and other cities have joined forces on these projects and other programs that make it easier to build affordable homes anywhere in the county. Their shared mission is to lift up local individuals and families who can no longer make ends meet in their own hometown due to the unprecedented cost of housing.
“These apartments will provide more quality homes for people who work in our schools, hospitals and nursing homes, restaurants and many other businesses,” Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice said.
“We want to build a community in Pinellas where our longtime residents aren’t just making ends meet but are actually thriving. We want to build a future where our kids can afford to stay in their hometown. This project shows what a big difference we can make for our neighbors when we work together.”
Both apartment developments are reserved for people who earn 80 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), which is about $46,000 for an individual. Rents range from $358 per month for 1-bedroom for the lowest income residents up to $1,807 for a 3-bedroom apartment for those earning up to 80 percent AMI.
Residents who live in the current SkyWay Lofts apartments work in Pinellas County Schools, health care companies like BayCare and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, and a variety of other retail and service jobs.
“We celebrate the groundbreaking of Skyway Lofts II, a critical addition to the housing inventory in St. Petersburg, and extend our gratitude to Blue Sky Communities for their commitment to expanding this property,” said Mayor Kenneth T. Welch.
“Our intentional investment in affordable housing units is demonstrated by our significant financial support in this project, which plays a pivotal role in the City’s Housing Opportunities for All Plan.”
The $26.8-million development project was made possible with $6.5-million from the City of St. Petersburg and $3.4-million from a portion of the County’s Penny for Pinellas funds. Additional funding comes from SAIL and NHTF funds provided by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation in an amount of $2.125-million, and approximately $10.9-million in 4% tax credit equity is provided by Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments. The Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County is issuing $13.75-million in construction bonds, which will be a private placement with TD Bank, and Raymond James Bank will provide a permanent loan of $2.2-million.
Land for SkyWay Lofts II was purchased using the County’s Penny or Pinellas funds. The property was placed in a land trust administered by the Housing Finance Authority with an agreement that ensures affordability for the development for 99 years.
This development is the latest project supported by a countywide partnership that has helped thousands of individuals and families find a quality home they can afford since 2018. Local governments in the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact work together to promote consistent policies and programs and support projects that create more housing choices.
The countywide compact includes plans developed by each member city to help local people find homes they can afford in their own communities, such as St. Petersburg’s Housing Opportunities for All plan.
For an overview of countywide housing efforts, see: www.homesforpinellas.org.
Formed in 2012 in Pinellas County, Blue Sky Communities is a leading advocate for helping local governments and nonprofits across Florida reach their affordable housing goals by developing state of the art, environmentally sound affordable housing units. Learn more.