By Matthew McClellan, Fox 13
Hillsborough County’s affordable housing crisis is expected to come into focus Thursday night when residents on opposing sides of a funding dispute bring their concerns before commissioners.
The county’s proposed FY 2025 budget, which is up for adoption Thursday night, includes $10 million in ‘HOPE’ funding, named for the local grassroots coalition that fought to pass the funding in 2019.
Since then, the Hillsborough Organization for Progress and Equality reports that the funding has led to 1,700 housing units being built overall, helping seniors and low income families.
But some argue those taxpayer dollars would be better spent elsewhere. In 2024, commissioners voted to funnel $8 million away from the housing fund to build roads and repair sidewalks within the county.
Now, the funding is on the chopping block again, with the board getting ready to hear recommendations on redistributing the money toward additional infrastructure projects.
Thursday’s meeting is at 6 p.m. in the 2nd Floor Boardroom of the County Center at 601 E Kennedy Blvd, Tampa. It can be viewed online here. There will be a time for public comment, however, the signup window has now closed.
There will be a public hearing on the county’s capital improvement program at the conclusion of the budget hearing.
View the original story here.
