TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa City Council members approved $750,000 to fund the construction of an 88-unit housing complex designed to help area seniors struggling to find affordable housing, officials said.
Funding for the new complex, Madison Highlands II, was made possible with a State Housing Initiative Program (SHIP) grant, the city of Tampa said in a news release. The grant reportedly provides local governments with financial resources to preserve affordable homeownership for low-income families.
The apartments, located near North 37th Street and East Giddens Avenue, will be Phase II of Madison Highlands, according to Mayor Jane Castor's office. Phase I opened in November 2021, officials said.
Construction on Phase II is slated for summer 2024, according to the mayor's office.
“Ensuring our area’s most vulnerable seniors have access to affordable housing that enables them to live independently is a priority,” Castor said in a statement. “Housing costs are a long-standing issue for seniors, especially retirees on fixed incomes, and this development will help remove that burden.”
Nine of the complex's 88 units will be reserved for extremely low-income tenants, according to officials. Reportedly 50% of those units will be deemed "Special Needs" units while 90% of the units will be set aside for those at 60% area median income.
In addition, 10% of the units are for those at 40% median income, officials said in the release.
“Affordable housing has been shown to support independence – and reduce the housing cost burden for those on fixed income—ultimately contributing to our senior community’s housing needs. Awarding this SHIP grant money is a major step in the right direction," Kayon Henderson, Tampa City Director of Housing and Community Development, said in a statement.
Officials said the complex will include a picnic pavilion, BBQ grills, a swimming pool and outdoor screened lanai.
