Pinellas county housing authority
Pinellas county housing authority

Category: News Flash

Pinellas County Housing Authority’s Mid-Year Report to the Community

Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA) continues to forge ahead with its positive direction and commitment to the strategic action goals set forth by its Board of Commissioners.  The first six months of 2012 were extremely busy and exciting as the agency experienced tremendous momentum in moving forward with the financing and planning for Pinellas Heights, the new mixed-financed, 153 unit senior community. Pinellas Heights will be constructed adjacent to PCHA’s existing central office on Ulmerton Road in Largo, Florida and will replace a vacant and aging commercial strip center.   The demolition of the commercial strip center is scheduled for July.  Prior to demolition, PCHA is donating any useful items from the strip center to Habitat for Humanity’s Re-Store.  The official closing on the financing is scheduled to take place in August with construction groundbreaking shortly thereafter.  The financing for the project will be provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County, the City of Largo, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, and the Pinellas County Housing Authority. The new one and two bedroom apartment homes designed for occupancy by seniors 62 or older will be ready for occupancy in early 2014.  Residents of the new community will pay only 30% of their monthly income toward rent.

PCHA to Host Second Annual Fathers Focused on Family Event for Public Housing Families

This week the Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA) will host its second annual “Father’s Focused on Family” Father’s Day event for families living in two of the agency’s largest public housing communities.  Over 500 children live in these two communities.  The first Focused on Fatherhood celebration will take place on Thursday, June 14, 2012 at the Rainbow Village community in Largo.  The second celebration will take place on Friday, June 15, 2012 at the French Villas community in St. Petersburg.

HUD’s Father’s Day Initiative was developed in response to the stark socio-economic data indicating how children and youth are being negatively affected by father absent homes. Last year, the first year HUD kicked-off the Father’s Day initiative, 209 Housing Authorities from 33 states held Father’s Day events that combined supportive services with promoting fatherhood to strengthen families. An estimated 22,000 fathers, children, mothers and many others participated in events that local public housing authorities held all over the nation.

Pinellas County Housing Authority Hosts Free Prospective Landlord Workshop

Pinellas County Housing Authority (PCHA) will host a workshop to introduce prospective landlords to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program on Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 3:00 pm.  Property owners with available rentals in PCHA’s area of operation, which include unincorporated Pinellas County and the following cities: Largo, Oldsmar, Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Kenneth City, Bellair, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, Safety Harbor, and Seminole, who are interested in finding out more about the HCV programs and how to participate, are invited to attend.

PCHA Dedicates Norton Apartments to the Community and the Citizens of Pinellas County

On Wednesday May 23, 2012 community leaders, residents and Pinellas County Housing Authority’s Commissioners and staff celebrated the dedication of Norton Apartments, now named “Norton Apartments at Lake Bellevue”, to the community and the citizens of Pinellas County.  The property is located at 1450 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Clearwater, FL. 

PCHA acquired Norton Apartments in 2011 at a time when the property was in bankruptcy and in a severe state of disrepair. The property had suffered from years of neglect and deferred maintenance.  “Norton residents were living in very substandard and dangerous conditions” said Debra Johnson, PCHA’s Executive Director.  With the help of many community partners, including residents, PCHA acquired Norton and immediately began improvements and property renovations, tackling the most critical and dangerous living conditions first.  With new on-site property management, maintenance and lease enforcement coupled with a commitment from the Clearwater Police Department, the crime rate dropped substantially.  In addition, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has executed a new 20-year committment for rent subsidy.

Contractors Invited to Learn How to do Business with PCHA

The Pinellas County Housing Authority will hold a free workshop for contractors on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at 3:00 pm at the PCHA office located at 11479 Ulmerton Road in Largo.  The workshop is for all potential vendors and contractors and will provide information and guidance on PCHA’s procurement process.