ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s no surprise that the price of paradise comes at a cost to families in the Tampa Bay area, many of whom are dealing with sky-rocketing rent and home prices.
A local organization is working to help families while reaching a major milestone in the process.
The struggle to find affordable housing was all too real for Brianna Clayton.
“I started like right before COVID trying to house shop and try to buy the traditional route, I would say, and then I just kept getting outbid," Clayton said. "And then COVID hit, and the housing market like went crazy. I was in an apartment that was affordable at the time, and then they were raising rent, so then my dad offered to let us come stay there once that was just not in the cards for me.”
Clayton linked up with Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties. She’ll buy her home with a zero-interest loan through the Habitat homeownership program.
On Friday, they got the keys to their new home.
“I’m just proud of myself because I didn’t see myself getting here at all,” said Clayton.
The moment also marked a major milestone. The Clayton family is the 800th family to partner with Habitat Pinellas and West Pasco Counties.
“Everyone sees that there’s an affordable housing crisis going on,” said Mike Sutton, the President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas and West Pasco Counties. “People are being priced out of our community. People are leaving our region, and we need more folks that are getting behind organizations like Habitat, not only financially and to volunteer for organizations like this, but to also advocate for the need for affordable housing.”
Now, Clayton and her 5-year-old daughter, Paisley, are looking to make their new house a home.
“We’re moving in,” said Clayton. “All of the family is ready with their trucks, so we’re going to go to the storage unit and get what we got, and we’re going to move right in today.”
