SPHA to Participate in Project Homeless Connect Event

ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) will be one of the vendors at the Pinellas Project Homeless Connect (PHC) event from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 30, at The Coliseum, located at 535 Fourth Avenue North in St. Petersburg. PHC is a one-day event intended to be a one-stop shop of health and human services for homeless individuals and families in Pinellas County, Florida.

SPHA Communications Officer Audra Butler said, “As a community partner, SPHA is proud to be involved in the Project Homeless Connect event. This is a great opportunity for us to meet one-on-one with those in need.”

The event organizers anticipate serving 1200 low income, at risk and homeless individuals and families. SPHA’s booth at the event will include information on its public housing, affordable housing and Section 8 voucher programs as well as other housing opportunities that currently are available, including:

Assistance for Homeless Veterans:
SPHA has been awarded 70 rental assistance vouchers by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD‐VASH). This program, which is in partnership with the Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC), will provide eligible homeless veterans with rental assistance while they receive the services and resources they need to move towards independence and self-sufficiency. These vouchers are equivalent to $573,291 of funding from SPHA. For more information about this program and its eligibility requirements, contact Bay Pine’s VASH Coordinators Michelle Moffettone or Jane Kumar at (727) 398-6661.

Project-Based Voucher Programs:
The wait list for the Serenity Towers Project Based Voucher (PBV) program is open for participants 55 years and older. Approximately 40 vouchers, out of a total of 105, still are available to qualified applicants. Applications are available online at www.stpeteha.org and at the property, located at 880 Oleander Way South in South Pasadena, between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Also, SPHA will be providing project-based housing vouchers to qualified applicants for 40 of the 80 units at the Pinellas Hope II facility, now under construction. These vouchers will be equivalent to approximately $300,000 per year of on-going funding from SPHA.

Affordable Housing Program:
Saratoga Apartments, located at 3475 32nd Avenue North & 3480 33rd Avenue North in St. Petersburg, has newly renovated units available for Housing Choice Voucher holders and the general public at below-market rents, starting at $500 per month. Also, there is a current leasing special that offers the option of one month free rent or reduced rents for one year. To apply or for more information, please contact the complex’s management office at (727) 217-7253.

For more information on SPHA’s programs and services, please visit our Web site at www.stpeteha.org.

About Pinellas Project Homeless Connect:
Pinellas Project Homeless Connect (PHC) is a partnership with local city and county government, non-profits and the private sector to provide much needed services including medical, dental, benefits, legal, free eyeglasses, Florida ID’s, food, bike repair, haircuts and more. The goal of PHC is to provide easy access to services that support the homeless on and off the streets. PHC is a project of the Pinellas County Coalition for the Homeless. For more information, please e-mail: news@pinellasconnect.org.

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 in the city of St. Petersburg. 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 residing in St. Petersburg. The 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.