TAMPA, Fla. — A year ago, Valarie Brannon and her family were literally out of house and home.

“They (the landlord) decided they weren’t gonna renew the lease because they were going up on the rent (to) $2,400," she said. "And I was paying $1,560, so I can’t afford that.”

What You Need To Know

  •  Experts say one in three Pinellas County families pay at least a third of their income to rent or mortgage

  •  Many families pay a third of their income for housing

  •  In 2022, Pinellas County saw ground breaking and/or funding for more than 1,000 affordable homes

They ended up in a homeless shelter until about a month ago when they were able to find a home in South St. Petersburg to move into.

“It’s been great," Brannon said. “I love it. It’s such a blessing. You know each and every time I walk in this house I tell God, 'Thank you.'”

But Pinellas County housing officials say many other families in the county aren't as lucky.

“In Pinellas County, one in three families pay at least a third of their income for rent or mortgage and many pay at least half," said Pinellas County Housing and Community Development Director Carol Stricklin. “And what that means is these families are struggling to remain stably housed while paying other essential needs like groceries and transportation.”

That's why county representatives, along with officials from several cities in the county, gathered Friday for the first ever housing summit where they unveiled a housing action plan to create more affordable housing.

“Examples of that are looking very specifically at reforming our regulations,” Stricken said. “Streamlining our codes so that we can produce those additional units in a variety of housing types.”

Brannon hopes to be able to buy one of those homes to truly give her family a home of their own.

“It would be such a blessing to own my own home and to be able to have my grandkids to run around in the yard and say this is Nanna’s house," she said.