By the Florida Sentinel Bulletin
The Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality (HOPE) held a rally in front of the county center on Monday, August 12, 2024, in an effort to convince county commissioners to keep a $10 million affordable housing fund in the 2025 budget. Over 100 residents, community activists, and local clergy urged the commission to keep the fund.
The HOPE fund allots $10 million each year for the development of quality homes that are affordable for working families, people with disabilities, and seniors with low and exceptionally low incomes.
Dr. Sheila Simmons Tribble, co-president of HOPE said at a press conference, “There is a serious housing affordability crisis here in Hillsborough County, and the county commissioners are not taking it seriously.”
“These residents are severely cost burdened because they are spending over 50% of their income on housing.”
Republicans on the county commission removed most of the funding when they removed $8 million from the fund.
Commissioner Joshua Wostal, the force behind the current school ballot situation, made a motion to remove the entire $10 million HOPE Fund.
Commissioner Gwen Myers stated that, “The budget amount has not been decided for HOPE and other organizations. The public will have two opportunities to comments on the proposed budget September 12 and 19 at 6:00 pm., at County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. 2nd floor.”
HOPE leaders reiterated that there are two more budget public hearings on Sept. 12 and 19, when commissioners could once again try to remove the $10 million affordable housing fund, and they are encouraging the public to attend and make their voices heard.
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