By Fadia Patterson, Spectrum News
Affordable housing advocates in Hillsborough County are sounding the alarm after a major rollback in funding for affordable housing.
The HOPE Affordable Housing Trust Fund, once supported with a $10 million annual commitment from the county, is now in jeopardy. Local leaders say it could threaten progress in tackling the region’s growing housing crisis.
Back in 2023, Spectrum Bay News 9 covered the ribbon-cutting of Uptown Sky Apartments in Tampa’s University Area — one of the first properties supported by the HOPE Fund.
The fund serves residents earning less than 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), with most of the money targeted toward low- and very low-income families.
In June, county commissioners repealed the ordinance guaranteeing the $10 million annual allocation.
After public pushback — including from members of HOPE (Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality) — a portion of the funding was restored. As of now, $1.4 million remains earmarked in the proposed 2026 budget.
“Of course we were disappointed,” said Dr. Sheila Simmons Tribble, HOPE co-president. “But, the good news is that by at least $1.4 million being in the budget, that gives us an opportunity to go forward and then to keep pushing.”
Simmons said the need for housing remains urgent.
“There are more than 600 people still on the waitlist for Uptown Sky,” she said. “And countywide, over 1,500 residents are currently unhoused — many struggling to keep up with rising rent.”
Simmons says the HOPE Affordable Housing Fund is locally controlled and leverages between $5 and $6 in additional investment for every county dollar spent.
“It does not have all the restrictions that the state funding has,” said Simmons.
Not all county leaders agree with maintaining the fund.
In May, Hillsborough County District 6 Commissioner Chris Boles introduced a motion to redirect the funds toward public safety initiatives instead.
“We serve on a bedrock of safety, and we need to build upon that,” Boles said.
HOPE leaders say they plan to show up in full force at the final budget hearings in September to push for restoration of the full $10 million.
“We will continue to keep HOPE alive,” said Simmons.
Public hearings are scheduled for Sept. 4 and 18 at 6 p.m. at the Hillsborough County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.
HOPE is calling on residents to attend, speak out, and urge county commissioners to recommit to fully funding the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
View the original story here.
