Ground Broken On Affordable Housing Project For Veterans In Pinellas

SEMINOLE, FL — At a time when affordable housing is at a premium, Pinellas County officials are celebrating the construction of 64 more affordable units to be constructed at Valor Preserve at Lake Seminole.

Pinellas County commissioners joined U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, veterans representatives, representatives of Norstar Development USA and members of the Pinellas County Housing Authority Friday to break ground on the affordable homes at 9575 Seminole Blvd., half of which will be set aside for veterans and people with disabilities.

The new community will offer 58 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments in one- and two-story buildings designed in the style of Key West bungalows. The development is specifically designed for veteran applicants who make no more than 60 percent of the area median income, which is $34,500 annually for an individual and$39,420 annually for two-person households.

Construction is expected to be completed by spring 2024.

As a leader of the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact, Pinellas County government is supporting Valor Preserve with $1.7 million in local funds from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program.

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Financing for the project was also made possible through support from Raymond James Affordable Housing Investments, TIAA Bank, Florida Housing Finance Corp., The Home Depot Foundation and land acquisition funds from the Pinellas County Housing Authority.

Valor Preserve is the latest successful public-private partnership supported by the housing compact, an agreement by local governments to create lasting solutions for countywide housing.

Pinellas County and city partners support preservation, rehabilitation and new construction of homes that bring more affordability to the market by using a mix of federal, state and local funding sources.

In 2022 alone, Pinellas County and city partners supported the creation of 1,100 affordable homes that were completed, under construction or approved for funding.

Pinellas County has partnered with Forward Pinellas and several municipalities in a countywide housing compact aimed at increasing housing at all income levels linked to transportation, jobs, schools, workforce development and other services.

On April 28, compact partners will convene for the Homes for Pinellas Summit to launch a countywide Housing Action Plan, laying out steps to create even more housing choices that are attainable to people across the county.