Phone: (727) 582-7475
Pinellas Eviction Diversion Program
  • Menu Canvas
    • Home
    • Seniors
    • Tenants
    • Landlords
    • Hillsborough County Residents
    • FAQs
    • Who We Are
    • Our Partners
    • Agreement to Mediate
    • Get Started
    • Call Now
      Call Now (727) 582-7475 Icon
    • Blog
Phone: (727) 582-7475
Follow Us:
Pinellas Eviction Diversion Program
  • Home
  • Services
    • Seniors
    • Tenants
    • Landlords
    • Hillsborough County Residents
  • FAQs
  • Who We Are
    • Our Partners
  • Forms
    • Agreement to Mediate
  • Blog
  • Get Started
  • Call Now
    Call Now (727) 582-7475 Icon

The Devastating Effect of the Affordable Housing Crisis in Pinellas County

EvictionDiversion
November 4, 2021
Tips
Pinellas Eviction Diversion Program

Florida’s red hot housing market, coupled with a huge population increase has led to a serious shortage of affordable housing. With rents on the increase, the knock-on effect has been devastating. Many struggle to keep up with their rent, with eviction and homelessness becoming a very real threat.

What caused the crisis?

Pinellas County’s population growth has outpaced the rest of the country. This has caused rents to spike and led to a major shortage of affordable housing. Tampa Bay has seen a population growth increase of 20% between 2010 and 2020. Now, Pinellas County is the densest urban County in Florida, with more than 3,000 people per square mile.

Any growing community that has a limited supply of housing plus zoning regulations will see rents increase, and gentrification has also played a part in the County. A good example of rent hikes can be seen in St. Petersburg, where the rent for an average 1-bed condo is $1,600. 

To make matters worse, the County is mostly ‘built out’ which means that there’s not much space left to build on. With the lack of affordable housing, some have simply moved away, and those who live in the County are competing for a limited supply of homes. Many struggle to pay rent and some have fallen behind on payments. 

Pinellas County Housing Authority has a waiting list of over 2,600 applicants and only 682 units. As a result, there’s a waiting time for housing of 2 to 5 years.

So, what’s the solution?

Firstly, the County needs a supply of new affordable housing, and the County estimates the need to build 1,000 affordable units per year for the next 10 years.  

Secondly, the County recognizes the need for reformation of building regulations to allow for more homes to be built on a single lot and to make the process more affordable.

The effect of the crisis on County residents

Many tenants have fallen behind on rent and are threatened with eviction as a result of this housing crisis. 

As if losing your home is not bad enough, the sad reality is that having an eviction or a rent non-payment on your record makes it harder to move forward and find a new home. Records of court documents, lawsuits related to non-payments, debts, and credit histories can haunt you for years, and a blemish on a person’s financial and rental history such as an eviction has far-reaching effects. 

Often people who have faced eviction worry that future landlords may feel reluctant to rent them property in the future, leading to further disadvantage and marginalization within the community. This can often lead to homelessness.

Breaking the cycle of homelessness

Every day we see the devastating effect of the affordable housing crisis on residents of Pinellas County, and we know that our services have never been in such demand as they are right now. 

Our important work is aimed at preventing evictions and avoiding homelessness. PEDP works with both landlords and tenants to find solutions, and our services include:

1. Assessing the case- intake specialists assess the details and paperwork of the case and look at outstanding issues.

2. Providing professional mediation to find a resolution outside the courtroom – we facilitate negotiations between landlord and tenant.

3.  Helping to pay the rent – working with landlords and tenants to claim government rental assistance. 

4. Provide referrals for housing navigation services or for other basic needs to tenants who qualify.

If you have been affected by the Pinellas County affordable housing crisis, reach out. 

Together, we can combat homelessness caused by eviction. 

Previous Story
When Eligibility Expands
Next Story
HLA & PEDP: A Working Partnership That Makes Us Proud

Related Articles

Seniors

Mediation Program for Seniors

Everything You Need to Know About the Landlord Tenant Mediation...

'>bill of rights

How Does the New Tenant's Bill of Rights in Pinellas County Affect You?

There's something to celebrate here in Pinellas County because the...

Recent Posts

  • Mediation Program for Seniors
  • How Does the New Tenant’s Bill of Rights in Pinellas County Affect You?
  • 2022 Goldstein-Van Nortwick Award for Excellence

Archives

  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • August 2021
  • May 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
Pinellas Eviction Diversion Program
Pinellas Eviction Diversion Program
Pinellas Eviction Diversion Program

A special thanks to Pinellas Community Foundation, Pinellas County, and the City of St. Petersburg, for providing the seed funding for this valuable program.

  • Tenants
  • Landlords
  • Our Services
  • Who We Are
  • Get Started
  • Our Partners
  • FAQs
  • 501 First Avenue N, Room 519, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
  • Phone: (727) 582-7475
Copyright ©2020 Pinellas Eviction Diversion Program. All Rights Reserved

This site is for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship between this organization and the users of the website.

  • Privacy Policies
SearchPostsLogin
Friday, 14, Oct
Mediation Program for Seniors
Friday, 16, Sep
How Does the New Tenant’s Bill of Rights in Pinellas County Affect You?
Tuesday, 9, Aug
2022 Goldstein-Van Nortwick Award for Excellence
Saturday, 23, Jul
PEDP Partners with Family Services Initiative
Thursday, 2, Jun
Hillsborough County’s Housing Stability Program
Tuesday, 3, May
Qualifying for Emergency Rental Assistance: Have You Recertified? 

Welcome back,

Skip to content
Open toolbar Accessibility Tools

Accessibility Tools

  • Increase TextIncrease Text
  • Decrease TextDecrease Text
  • GrayscaleGrayscale
  • High ContrastHigh Contrast
  • Negative ContrastNegative Contrast
  • Light BackgroundLight Background
  • Links UnderlineLinks Underline
  • Readable FontReadable Font
  • Reset Reset