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Public Housing Project To Join Stimulus Requests

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By JOHN W. ALLMAN

jallman@tampatrib.com

Published: January 13, 2009

TAMPA - As the economy continues to lag and unemployment rates rise, Tampa housing officials are touting a planned redevelopment project as a way to create thousands of jobs.

The project, Encore, would replace the former Central Park Village public housing complex on Nebraska Avenue, between downtown and Ybor City.

The possible jobs, estimated at nearly 1,000 permanent and more than 4,000 short-term, would range from construction work to retail sales jobs to staff positions at a planned church, school and hotel.

Mayor Pam Iorio is making Encore a priority by including it in the city's second stimulus request list, which will be circulated to Florida lawmakers at the state and federal levels.

The list, which includes projects that can be completed by 2011, is expected to be released this week, possibly Wednesday.

President-elect Barack Obama is supporting a massive economic stimulus package, and Congress is expected to vote soon on legislation for Obama to consider after he is sworn in Jan. 20.

Commitments Were Made

Iorio said Friday that she hopes projects such as Encore, which needs about $27 million to complete road and sewer infrastructure improvements, might be allocated money as part of the deal.

"We made commitments that Central Park was going to be torn down," Iorio said. "But it was going to be rebuilt, and people were going to have an opportunity to move back."

The $425 million project was approved in June 2006, and a year later, the former housing apartments were demolished. The vacant site has been idle since as officials struggled to secure money to start infrastructure work.

The 28-acre Encore is being developed by the Tampa Housing Authority and Bank of America. Plans call for about 667 affordable housing rental units and more than 600 market-rate condos.

A survey paid for by Bank of America estimates more than 1,100 jobs could be created this year, once infrastructure construction begins, with an additional 3,000 positions in 2010 and 2011.

The survey also gauged permanent jobs, estimating that the planned school, church and hotel would provide full-time work for nearly 400 people. More than 500 other jobs would come from office and retail positions.

Local Disbursement Preferred

Tampa Housing Authority Vice President Leroy Moore was in Washington last week to discuss the project with Reps. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, and Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton.

"It was clear they support the project," Moore said. "They did caution that there's likely not going to be any earmarks or specific projects funded."

If approved, stimulus dollars are expected to be provided at the state level for disbursement to cities and counties. Moore said projects such as Encore would be better-served if the dollars go directly to local governments.

"The closer it can come, the better for our project. If it goes to the state, then we're competing with a lot of state interests," he said. "The money coming to the city would be far more preferred by the housing authority because the city knows the needs locally."

Paying for the infrastructure is just part of the overall cost, however. Housing and bank officials still have to build the first buildings, the Ella and the Tempo, which would include the majority of affordable housing apartments.

The housing authority has sought grant funding through the Florida Housing Finance Corp. for both buildings. The Ella was expected to get $20 million in tax credits to put toward construction in 2008, but the money went to other projects. It could be re-allocated if any of those projects fail to begin construction.

The city also could try to secure construction bonds through the Hillsborough County Housing Finance Authority, Moore said.

Reporter John W. Allman can be reached at (813) 259-7915.

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