SPHA Moves Residents into Pinellas Hope II

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – On Tuesday, February 8, 2011, eight residents moved into Pinellas Hope II and began a new chapter of their lives, thanks to the partnership between the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) and the Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg.

Each of the eight residents received a project-based housing voucher from SPHA, which subsidizes a portion of the monthly rent for an apartment at Pinellas Hope II based on the tenant's income. SPHA is offering a total of 40 vouchers to eligible residents of the 80-unit transitional housing facility, which is equivalent to approximately $280,000 per year of on-going funding for Catholic Charities.

Dr. Arnett Smith, SPHA board chairman, said, “We are proud to be community partners in the fight against homelessness, and we remain committed to finding more affordable housing options throughout our jurisdiction to help keep people off of the streets. By providing the funding for these vouchers, SPHA is able to give much needed support to Catholic Charities and those that they serve in a very meaningful and sustainable way.”

Shelia Lopez, Catholic Charities chief operating officer, said, “We are proud of our residents that have achieved self-sufficiency and can live in safe and affordable housing.”

The housing vouchers are made possible through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Project-Based Voucher program. The goal of the HUD program is to expand the availability of higher quality affordable housing units to the elderly, disabled individuals and homeless military veterans.

Under this program, housing authorities may choose to provide subsidy to selected privately-owned properties through the Request for Proposals (RFP) process. SPHA’s contract with Catholic Charities for Pinellas Hope II is a direct result of a RFP issued by the housing authority in June 2008 to find interested developers and property owners.

About St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA):

The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) is a public body corporate that has a 70+ year history of developing and administering affordable housing programs within its jurisdictional area, which includes St. Petersburg and a 10-mile radius outside of the city. Consistently scored as a “High Performer” on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assessments, SPHA provides housing assistance to more than 3,400 families. The housing authority has received national awards and recognition for its innovative programs, including the Economies of Scale program, the Jordan Park HOPE VI redevelopment program, the Section 3 program and the Fraud Recovery program. More information about the authority’s programs and services can be found at www.stpeteha.org.

About Catholic Charities and Pinellas Hope:

Pinellas Hope, a program of Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg, opened on 10 acres of land provided by Bishop Robert N. Lynch and the Diocese of St. Petersburg in 2007. In September 2010, the shelter expanded with support from local and state governments to include a community center with permanent offices, kitchen, meeting rooms, and a covered dining area replacing temporary trailers. It also includes 80 apartments for transitional housing, called Pinellas Hope II, for residents who are preparing to return to regular housing. Today, Pinellas Hope continues its mission on 20 acres of land to provide a safe living environment for homeless individuals and support to become self-sufficient. For more information about Catholic Charities and Pinellas Hope, visit www.pinellashope.org.