Housing authority proposes Clearview Park expansion

Forty-seven new apartments are planned for Clearview Park in north St. Petersburg. Rendering: St. Petersburg Housing Authority. Approximately 650 households are waiting for affordable senior housing through the St. Petersburg Housing Authority, which is proposing 47 new apartments at Clearview Park in north St. Petersburg. The expansion would address a portion of that demand while nearly tripling the number of apartments on the existing property. But the housing authority has yet to secure financing, and four families currently living at Clearview Park would have to move permanently to make room for the development. Michael Lundy, president and CEO of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA), provided those details in response to questions from the Catalyst following the agency’s Nov. 9 announcement. The proposed development at 3200 37th Avenue North would add a four-story building with 47 apartments, primarily intended for seniors. Four of the property’s 22 existing apartments would be demolished to create road access, while the remaining 18 would be renovated. The result would be 65 apartments, a net increase of 43, on a 3.12-acre property that has provided affordable family housing since 1982. “SPHA continues to see a strong need for affordable housing opportunities for seniors,” Lundy replied. “This proposed expansion would allow us to respond to that need while making meaningful improvements to the existing units at Clearview Park Apartments.” The new apartments are expected to serve households earning no more than 60% of the area’s median income, although the final eligibility requirements will depend on financing. That distinction matters because affordable housing programs can establish different rent limits depending on the funding source. The final financing package will help determine how much residents pay and which households qualify. Lundy said the estimated project cost has not been determined and no funding has been secured. The housing authority previously indicated that financing obtained in the first quarter of 2027 could allow construction to begin in late 2027 or early 2028. That schedule remains conditional. The development would occupy approximately one acre of open land behind the existing apartments. Plans prepared by MLK Architecture call for a 55,652-square-foot building containing 39 one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments, ranging from 680 to 923 square feet. The building would include management offices, a meeting room, indoor bicycle storage and community activity areas on upper floors. A gazebo is also proposed. SPHA is working with Trouble Creek Development, affiliated with LEMA Construction. A general contractor has not been selected, and SPHA would manage the new building after completion. The project also presents a relocation challenge for current residents. Lundy confirmed that four households would require permanent relocation because their apartments would be demolished. Residents of the remaining 18 apartments would need temporary housing during renovations. SPHA would coordinate those moves, subject to housing availability and eligibility, and offer residents the opportunity to return to Clearview Park after construction. The four apartments scheduled for demolition would likely have to be removed before construction of the new building begins, Lundy said, because they occupy the planned access route. SPHA has not established a construction sequence for the renovations or new building. The existing apartments would receive new cabinets, countertops, flooring, windows and interior painting. They would continue serving families after renovations are completed. The waiting list provides another measure of the project’s potential reach. With approximately 650 households seeking affordable senior housing, the 47 proposed apartments would represent capacity equal to about 7% of the current list, assuming one waiting household per apartment. Even if every new apartment went to a household currently waiting, hundreds of applicants would remain without a placement through the development. SPHA currently serves more than 4,000 low-income households through its housing programs. Clearview Park would allow the authority to expand its housing inventory on land it already owns, avoiding the need to acquire another development site. The proposal’s next milestone is financing. Share Tweet Share Related Topics: Affordable Housing Clearview Park Apartments Housing Redevelopment Michael Lundy real estate development senior housing St. Petersburg St. Petersburg Housing Authority Click to comment Subscribe to the Daily Spark Get the latest right to your phone Subscription Form Name Email Subscribe Subscribe to the Daily Spark Get the latest right to your phone Subscription Form Name Email Subscribe You may like