ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — After four months in operation, South St. Pete residents say they arrived at the neighborhood’s community support center, known as ‘The Hub,’ to find the doors locked.

A sign on the door of the 22nd St S building directs those in need of services to visit their temporary location at 1601 16th St S. The address matches the location of People Empowering & Restoring Communities (PERC), a nonprofit that helps ex-offenders re-enter the workforce.

What You Need To Know

  • Residents say the 22nd St S location for 'The Hub' has been locked up for more than two weeks

  • Unclear if services will return to the building

  • City says the same services are being offered out of their temporary location at the PERC office on 16th St S 

  • Groundbreaking ceremony for first location of 'The Hub' was held with city officials on March 1

South St. Pete resident Songra Jordan said when ‘The Hub’ first opened on March 1, she saw it as a much-needed addition to the community. After walking by a few times and getting the courage to go inside, Jordan spoke to different staff members and community partners. She completed the needed paperwork and was told she would get a followup call.

“I never got a phone call, which was already kind of strange,” she said. “You’d think y’all would follow up.”

Jordan said she visited the center weeks later to check back and discovered the doors were locked with weeds sprouting through the mulch and the yard full of bottles and cigarettes. She said it looked like the place hadn’t been cleaned in a matter of weeks.

“I feel like they just put on a big show and that was it,” she said.

A news release from the city of St. Pete from July 2023 stated the city received federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act and gave roughly $8.5 million to the Pinellas Community Foundation to start the community support hub.

During the groundbreaking, the city identified ‘The Hub’ partners as The Well for Life, Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services, and PERC.

At the March 1 event, Mayor Ken Welch stated ‘The Hub’ is a vital and unique community resource where people are seen, heard and valued.

“They’re designed to meet the needs of our diverse community and to meet people where they are,” he said.

Alizza Punzalan-Randle, Managing Director for Communications and Community Engagement for the city of St. Pete, said there has not been a lapse in the services being offered to residents despite the physical location changing. Over the last year during the program’s pilot phase, she said the community partners have helped 176 residents with services.

Moving forward, Gulf Coast JFCS will be the lead organization for ‘The Hub’ services. Initially, The Well took on that role, Punzalan-Randle confirmed.

“The collaborative partnership for St. Petersburg’s Community Support Hubs has completed its first year of start-up pilot operations. During that time, Hub partners and providers have responded to 176 inquiries for services from members of the community. Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services (Gulf Coast JFCS) will lead the next phase of project implementation. Essential to the concept of the Hubs is ensuring that residents receive the services they need in the ways that they need them. Services have been and continue to be available for residents.

Using lessons learned through project start-up and using resident choice as a driving force, partners are evaluating space and location needs to best serve the community moving forward. In the interim, residents seeking services at a physical location are being guided to People Empowering & Restoring Communities (PERC), located at 1601 16th Street South, and open for walk-ins from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Members of the community in need of services can call 727-285-4553 for assistance or submit an inquiry at www.stpetehubs.org,” she wrote in a statement.

The initial goal, according to city staff, was to have multiple community support hubs. The 22nd St S location is recognized as the first.