During these unprecedented times, we must remember that housing is essential. Housing provides safety, stability, and shelter. Housing is also an integral part of healthcare. The ability to stay “safer at home” or “shelter in place” relies on the condition that one has a safe and adequate place to shelter in. Many of us take this for granted, however many of our fellow community members lack access to safe, decent and affordable housing. Given these trying times, when health and wellness are of paramount concern, safe, decent and affordable housing is essential to individuals and family’s wellbeing as well as our community as a whole. Habitat will continue to be a leader in advocating for affordable homeownership and will need our supporters now more than ever to assist us in amplifying the message #HousingIsEssential.
Habitat Resource Pages
Recognizing the ever-changing dynamics and challenges Covid-19 has presented to our community, Habitat has established resource directories for our homeowner and the community at large. The directories are updated on a regular basis and are a source for connection to local resources, which include; food distribution, housing, healthcare, employment resources, and other social services. Please utilize and share!
See links below:
https://habitatpwp.org/pinellas-county-resources/
https://habitatpwp.org/pasco-county-resources/
Sadowski Funding
In January of this year, Habitat of Pinellas & West Pasco Counties joined the State Support Organization and 15 other affiliates from across the State in Tallahassee to advocate to fully fund the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Over a meeting packed two days, HfHPWP President & CEO Mike Sutton along with Director of Community Relations Sean King, held one on one meetings with each member of both the Pinellas and Pasco legislative delegations. Habitat advocated to #StopTheSweep and fully fund the Trust Fund. Each meeting highlighted the impact the Affordable Housing Trust Fund has on our homeowners as well as our community.
We are thrilled to announce that the final Florida Budget was passed in Mid-March with the Sadowski Affordable Housing Trust Fund being fully funded! This is the first time the fund has been funded at 100% in many years and will mean almost $14,000,000 in additional funding for affordable housing in our service area in FY20-FY21. We’d like to thank the entirety of both the Pinellas & Pasco Legislative Delegations for their commitment to our community and to affordable housing! 
Due to the Covid-19 crisis, there are concerns that funds may be re-appropriated, however, housing is essential to our recovery. Programs funded through the Trust Fund, include; temporary rent payments, eviction prevention, mortgage payment assistance, foreclosure counseling, and foreclosure prevention payments. Additionally, construction-related activities have a significant impact on our local economy and can assist in getting people back to work. Now more than ever before we will need all resources available to help mitigate the crisis and aid the recovery. Habitat will continue to monitor this evolving situation and if needed may call upon our supporters to engage with their local elected officials. Stay tuned!
