Taylor Joins SPHA Board of Commissioners

Ms. Ann Taylor was sworn in as the newest St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) commissioner at the authority’s September 22 regular board meeting. Commissioner Taylor was appointed to the board by St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster and confirmed by City Council in July 2011.

SPHA Board Chairman Joseph Lettelleir said, “We are very pleased to welcome Commissioner Taylor to this board. As a respected business owner and community advocate, her voice will be invaluable to the board as we work to create more affordable housing options for low-income residents and to better inform the entire community about our housing programs.”

Commissioner Taylor said, “As a St. Petersburg native, I am honored to continue my service to our community as part of the housing authority’s Board of Commissioners. I am looking forward to working with the rest of the commission as we shape the future of affordable housing in the city.”

Born, raised and educated in St. Petersburg, Commissioner Taylor is the business owner of several local establishments and is a dedicated community volunteer. In recognition of her support of local charitable organizations, she has been named as a princess in the Queen of Hearts’ court in the annual tribute to the community's most active women volunteers. In addition to her philanthropic work, Commissioner Taylor has served as the past president of the St. Petersburg Museum of History, is a former member of the City of St. Petersburg’s Beautification Commission, and is a past board member of the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American History Museum. Commissioner Taylor also is an active volunteer with Canterbury School of Florida and Academy Prep Center of St. Petersburg. She attended Gibbs Junior College, where she studied Business Administration.

The seven-member SPHA Board of Commissioners is responsible for oversight and policy-making for the housing authority. Commissioners are unpaid volunteers, who serve four-year terms.

SPHA operates under Chapter 421 of the Florida Statutes as an independent quasi-governmental entity and a political subdivision of the State of Florida. While the Mayor of St. Petersburg appoints the board, the housing authority is not a department of the City of St. Petersburg and receives no city funding. SPHA’s income is derived from tenant rents, federal subsidies, grants, investments and inter-agency contracts.

SPHA board meetings are open to the public and are held at 2:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month, except in July and December, at 888 Executive Center Drive West, Suite 100, in St. Petersburg. More information, including meeting agendas and minutes, can be found on the Internet at http://www.stpeteha.org/board.htm.

About St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA):

Consistently scored as a “High Performer” on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development assessments, SPHA has a 74-year history of developing and administering affordable housing programs for the local community. Currently, the agency provides housing assistance to more than 3,400 families in and around the City of St. Petersburg. More information about SPHA’s nationally-recognized programs and services can be found at www.stpeteha.org.