Local organization works to help people who are homeless with new affordable housing project

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — One local organization is working to help people who struggle to find affordable housing.

Michael Reposa is CEO of St. Vincent de Paul CARES and said his organization is building 73 new affordable housing units.

Cynthia Calleia is a local resident and has struggled to find affordable housing in the past.

"Affordable housing is very difficult because most of them have waiting list that are years long sometimes even before the place is even built there's a waiting list," said Calleia.

She said affordable housing is getting more difficult to find in St. Petersburg.

"We have senior citizens that are living out on the streets right now and they can't even afford a place," said Calleia.

It's an issue St. Vincent de Paul CARES is tackling.

"We're facing some some really hard times in our state when it comes to homelessness...This is the solution for homelessness is to get housing to get affordable housing to get it online and get it online as quick as possible," said Reposa.

The organization started construction this week. The new units will be in a large building and will be available for people with very low incomes.

"We prefer people under 50% of the area meeting income so that's under $25,000 if you make more than that you're not gonna qualify to get in," said Reposa.

There are also certain units dedicated to veterans.

Organization leaders said the number of people needing affordable housing has risen since the pandemic, and they hope this project will help those people.

"I think that the city can't build enough in and we can't authorize enough affordable housing," said Reposa.

The project is estimated to be complete by the end of this year, something Calleia said couldn't happen fast enough.

"Most of the places that are affordable affordable are not even affordable to the average person that works at a grocery store or anywhere or fast food place," said Calleia.