Mayor's Infill Affordable Housing Initiative - Phase II
In an effort to provide sustainable, affordable housing inventory, the City will award a maximum of 14 residential, single family lots through an RFP process and provide a $1.1 million-dollar Revolving Loan Fund at 0% interest to build new single-family residential homes on infill lots within the City of Tampa. Click here for more information.
Rapid Response Recovery Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa received federal funding to administer the Rapid Response Recovery Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). The program’s goal is to assist residents who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and are unable to pay rent and utilities.
ERAP aims to prevent recipients from experiencing further financial hardship or additional consequences to living conditions by providing approved households up to $7,500 for past-due rent and up to $750 for past-due TECO electric bills per eligible household.
We have released the program’s eligibility criteria, documentation requirements for qualifying households, and the timeline for the opening of online applications at HCFLGov.net/R3HomeHelp. Any income-qualifying Hillsborough resident, including individuals and families in Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace, can apply for assistance. The County urges residents who need assistance to review the eligibility criteria and requirements before applying. This ensures complete and accurate applications are submitted and can be expeditiously reviewed by eligibility specialists.
Qualifying households must be actively renting and have income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) qualifications as reported on their 2020 Federal Income Tax filing (IRS form 1040 Adjusted Gross Income). Priority access will be given to eligible households at or below 50% AMI or with zero income during the 90 days prior to the application date.
The program will not only be working with residents but will also be working with landlords with rental properties within Hillsborough County. Through ERAP, participating landlords will receive direct payments for past-due rent if tenants are approved for funding. Registration is required for landlords to participate and receive direct payment for approved tenants. The County will host several landlord information sessions to discuss the program and what is needed for landlord participation (see dates and times below).
Key Dates and links to register for an information session:
- Tuesday, March 16 at 10 a.m.: Landlord registration begins
- Landlord Information Sessions: Wednesday, March 17 at 3 p.m., Thursday, March 18 at 1 p.m., and Friday, March 19 at 10 a.m.
- Tuesday, March 23, at 10 a.m.: Online applications will be available for select eligible residents.
Building Tampa's Equitable Tomorrow
Mayor Castor and the City of Tampa have made the development of Workforce and Affordable Housing a strategic priority of the Mayor’s ‘Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow’ vision. The details of that strategy can be found here: https://www.tampagov.net/t3/housing-affordability
There are many continuing and new opportunities to invest in our community’s future and to be part of Tampa’s tomorrow. We want to ensure that all partners and stakeholders can align their efforts with the City’s housing affordability strategy.
Watch Now to learn more about:
- The City’s Housing Affordability Strategy and Recommendations
- The City’s Community Land Trust (CLT) – coming soon!
- Workforce and Affordable Housing projects on the horizon
- New policies and partnership opportunities
- Longer-term strategies, including use of Opportunity Zones
Improving Lives and Communities Across the City of Tampa
The Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) plays a lead role in the development of housing and citizen support programs to serve the city's low and moderate income households, homeless, and disabled populations. HCD maintains and expands housing opportunities for low and moderate income persons and families in the city by:
- Preserving the city's housing stock through rehabilitation and repair assistance programs.
- Expanding the supply of affordable housing for lower income renters and owners, including first-time home buyers.
- Serving the needs of the homeless community and partnering with homeless service providers.
- Providing impartial, unbiased investigation services for discrimination complaints in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodation to any person who believes they have been discriminated against.
- Providing outreach activities by offering employment, housing and public accommodations seminars / workshops to keep the public informed about their civil rights.
- Dare to Own the Dream Homeownership Event Video - June 2019