Pinellas County Housing Trust Fund Program Creates Affordable ApartmentsPinellas County, in partnership with the city of Clearwater, recently funded two affordable housing apartment projects. A $680,000 loan from the Housing Trust Fund enabled Community Service Foundation, Inc., a non-profit housing provider, to acquire Leo Lane Apartments located in Clearwater. As a result, funding restrictions will ensure that the apartments remain affordable to a range of low- and moderate-income households for the next 30 years. Homeless Emergency Project, Inc. is currently constructing a new 24-unit apartment complex funded in part by Pinellas County through the Housing Trust Fund program. From this fund, $308,000 was combined with grants from the city of Clearwater, Florida Department of Children and Families and private contributions to finance the $1.4 million project. The new apartments, located on Fairburn Avenue in Clearwater, are nearing completion and will provide housing to low income individuals. The Housing Trust Fund was established by the Board of County Commissioners to address affordable housing issues in Pinellas County. A first-year allocation of $10 million was made to the fund in 2007 and a second-year budget of $5 million is being utilized to preserve and construct affordable housing throughout the county. For more information, contact Frank Bowman, Pinellas County Community Development at (727) 464-8255.
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