CLEARWATER, Fla. — The city of Clearwater’s Affordable Housing Committee came together Tuesday to provide updates on its local housing incentive strategies.

Some of those strategies included a goal to grow affordable housing over the long term, along with ensuring that development of homes is both affordable and accessible to public amenities and employment.

But the hot topic was the potential option to increase the maximum sales price of a single-family home to $481,176.

This is due to the State Housing Initiatives Partnership program, also known as SHIP. According to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, which administers the program, SHIP "provides funds to local governments as an incentive to create partnerships that produce and preserve affordable homeownership and multifamily housing."

Charles Lane, the city's assistant director of economic development and housing, said in the meeting: “While I understand the state is trying to provide flexibility to local governments to distribute the funding to help people attain home ownership, I think such a high purchase process has pros and cons and very likely some unintended consequences.”

The board weighed those pros and cons and the impact it would have on the growing Clearwater community.

No motion to approve was made, but the committee heard from the public their thoughts about the proposed increase.

Having enough affordable housing is a way to ensure people can stay and work in the city of Clearwater, but Sean King — with Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas & West Pasco Counties — said that over time the increase in prices is making it that much more difficult for homebuyers.

“It’s just an awesome sight to see and feel and touch and know that the family is going to have a place to call home,” King said as he looked at photos from new homeowners.

He said it's a feeling like no other, and one he knows all too well.

While King helps people achieve their dream of becoming homeowners, he recently became one himself.

“It needed to be a total renovation, and that’s the only way we could get into the size of house and the neighborhood we wanted to," he said.

He purchased his home back in 2020. Despite the obstacles he faced then, like finding a home in the right price range and location, he’s seen firsthand how those obstacles are becoming financially greater for homebuyers now.

“The starter home is just no longer available to young professionals, to people just getting into the workforce," he said.

He said that increasing the maximum price of a home comes with other changes as well that could be a benefit for new homeowners experiencing sticker shock.

“What that’s really going to do is allow more individuals to access down payment assistance and other programs," he said.

Despite the changes in prices for homes, King said he wants to make sure everyone can call a place their own.

In the meeting, the board also approved the donation of property by the city to Habitat for Humanity to use for other housing opportunities.

The next meeting for public comment will be held on Dec. 7 at the Clearwater Main Library.