The Gabber Pinellas County's oldest independent weekly newspaper
St. Petersburg Councilmember Charlie Gerdes headed the Tuesday, April 23 meeting regarding the potential purchase of Grace Connection Church, 635 64th St. S., by the city of St. Petersburg. The property would cost the city $1.75 million and would be dedicated to 86 units of low-income housing. “A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable,” Gerdes said. “Let’s remember that.”
At the Tuesday, April 23, meeting at the church, city officials explained the process of potentially buying the church and what that would mean for local residents.
“We have an issue with affordable housing here in St. Petersburg,” said City Councilmember, Charlie Gerdes. “There are some boats that are struggling, and by boats, I mean your fellow citizens.”
The proposal, if approved by the city at the next council meeting on May 16, would mean tearing down the church and accompanying buildings and building up to 86 affordable housing units on the five-acre property.
Gulfport City Councilmember Paul Ray also attended the packed meeting. Ray represents Gulfport’s Ward 3, an area of the city directly across the street from the proposed project site. Ray said that he is planning to sit down with Gerdes to discuss what this project will mean for Gulfport.
“I live five blocks from the proposed site,” Ray told the Gabber after the meeting. “I am a little concerned to see how this could all turn out but there are a lot of variables involved.”
The entire project would cost roughly $15 million over a 10-year period, all potentially funded by the Penny for Pinellas tax, according to St. Petersburg city officials.
The plan is not without controversy. During Tuesday’s meeting, there was seldom a moment where audience members were not booing and yelling out phrases such as “go somewhere else” and “not here.”
“First of all, this is a church and conversation needs to be respectful,” said Gerdes to the crowd.
“Where is the traffic going to go?” said neighborhood resident Joseph Wippel, who opposed the project. “Everything is going downhill if we buy this property.”
The process of turning a property into low-income housing is not a new concept. There are several city-bought apartment buildings dedicated to affordable housing throughout St. Petersburg.
Buildings such as Booker Creek Apartments, Wyngate Apartments and City Place Senior Apartments are all low-income housing units that were originally purchased by the city.
“If it turned out to be section 8 housing, that would be a problem,” Ray told the Gabber. “If it was more like Booker Creek, I don’t see a problem.”
Not every meeting attendee opposed the plan.
“It’s going to help the community,” said Denise Deja, a St. Petersburg resident. “Your everyday worker cannot afford housing here, and people don’t realize that the average rent [for the proposed housing] is going to be $900 to $1,000. It’s not like it’s going to bring in criminals and gangs.”
Despite the controversy, the five-acre property, which would cost the city $1.75 million, is not a done deal. In fact, even if city council approves the sale at the next meeting, the contract can still be revoked within a nine-month period.
“People are not cost-burdened by choice,” said Neighborhood Services Administrator Rob Gerdes. “The people that will benefit are regular workers like a cashier at Publix, a clerk, and of course seniors.”
According to the city’s presentation, if the project is developed, an apartment will cost a household of three about $1,350, an estimated 30 percent of an average family’s income.
“We want to provide resources to help those that really just need a little bit of help,” said Gerdes. “It’s time to address the issue of affordable housing.”
Ms. Baker,
You interviewed me at the Church the other night for your article which came out on Thurs. Unfortunately, you misquoted me. I told you that the rents that were running from $900 -$1000 for a 1 bedroom were the market rates that are typically too high for the people who would be inhabiting the Affordable Housing that would be built. Their housing would run more in the range of $660 – $700 for a 1 bedroom. The higher amount is NOT what the Affordable units would be priced at.
I would appreciate a clarification on this.
Reading your article concerning affordable housing was disconcerting as a senior citizen. I own my home reversed the mortgage and have no house payment . I pay insurance and taxes of 300.00 a month. When individuals need housing and others misnamed it as low income housing it renders it “ugly” “not in my neighborhood” “fear of criminals” this is so far from reality. Perhaps if journalist and the media learn positive terms such as “affordable housing” “Moderately priced housing for hard workers”. 900.00 to 1350 is not low income housing it is actually reasonable housing for neighborhood employees. In a time where rents are sky high where is logic? Americans need to recognize there is a need for this moderately priced housing in fact a demand. Frankly if I moved I could no longer afford even moderately priced housing. God help America when neighborhoods become like politicians mouthing platitudes but never producing solutions just more “not in my neighborhood”!