Hillsborough County Celebrates Opening Of Affordable Apartments

TAMPA, FL -- Hillsborough County’s newest housing complex offers a solution to one of the area’s toughest problems: the need for more affordable rental apartments.

A dedication ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. June 25 for Sweetwater Villas, a 56-unit affordable housing complex at 8437 N. Lois Ave. in Tampa. Three of the units are designed for people with mobility challenges, and two were specially constructed for those with hearing or vision disabilities.

All are priced according to the tenant’s income, with maximum monthly rents ranging from $677 for a two-bedroom unit to $939 for a three-bedroom apartment. Amenities include a community area, playground, lakefront gazebo, and free parking.

The complex was developed by Blue Sky Communities and partially funded by Hillsborough County through a $4.5 million loan of HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds. Such public-private partnerships are becoming increasingly valuable as State Housing Initiative Program (SHIP) money has declined by more than 75 percent in Hillsborough County in the last two years.

Including the Sweetwater Villas project, Hillsborough County Affordable Housing Services plans to add more than 575 apartments and residences this year.

The maximum annual income for prospective residents ranges from $22,000 to $38,400, depending on family size. For more information, click here.

Image via Hillsborough County