PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Renee Smith has a typical ‘St. Petersburg’ story.
She was raised in St. Pete and works full time in the city, but now can’t afford to live there.
“My living condition is staying in a hotel, right,” Smith said. “I’m living here, living there, and then everywhere I try to move; it’s just too expensive for me.”
Despite the city’s multi-year focus on affordable housing, Smith says St. Pete still needs more.
Councilman Richie Floyd, who represents District 8, wholeheartedly agrees.
“The Tampa Bay area has had the highest inflation in home prices in the entire country in the past three years,” Floyd said. “It’s really going to take every possible tool that we can to chip away at our housing issues.”
One of those tools was announced Friday: a rebate program for home repairs — citywide.
A qualified homeowner can get city funding, in the form of a rebate, to reduce part of the cost of these home repairs:
- Structural repairs
- Roof replacement
- Electric/plumbing upgrades
- Window/door replacement
- HVAC replacement
- Insulation upgrades
- Kitchen/bath upgrades
- Constructing an accessory dwelling unit (ADU)
However, they must repair must be $10,000 or more, the household must have an income at or below 120% of the Area Median Income, and the home must be considered “workforce or affordable housing.”
“We’ve been doing it in South St. Pete for a while, but we wanted to expand it citywide,” Floyd said. “The housing problems that we have in this city are everywhere in the city.”
According to a press release from the City of St. Petersburg, the program — officially known as the Rebates for Affordable Residential Rehab Program — was designed to “help increase the supply and quality of affordable housing in St. Pete.”
The program’s website says approved applicants will receive “40% for the pre-approved construction value” from the city.
To Floyd, it’s not a cure-all but just one tool in the city’s ‘affordable housing’ tool bag, but he hopes it’s a tool that homeowners will use.
“Best thing you could probably do is reach out to your council member. Email our office, and we can help guide you through the process,” he said.
You can also apply for the program or learn more by clicking here.