Affordable homes grow more costly

A group planning to build in Tarpon Springs finds out that some houses will need to be raised to comply with federal flood requirements.

By KATHERINE GAZELLA

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 17, 2000

TARPON SPRINGS -- An effort to build affordable housing in the city is facing a hurdle after housing officials learned many lots where the homes were planned are in a flood zone.

Officials from Clearwater Neighborhood Housing recently learned that some of the homes will need to be elevated to meet federal flood requirements.

Building the houses on stilts will raise the price by about $7,000 per house, said Isay Gulley, executive director of the non-profit organization.

The additional cost could take the homes out of the price range of some potential homeowners, she said.

"It's not going to be out of reach for everyone, but it may be for some," she said.

Gulley said one woman had qualified to buy a home on one of the lots. But with the additional charges for elevation, she could no longer afford it.

That is just one challenge facing people who want to buy the homes, she said.

They also have to deal with rising interest rates and increasing construction costs.

"It's a triple whammy," she said.

Clearwater Neighborhood Housing has 11 lots in Tarpon Springs, some made available by the city and some purchased by the group.

Once they arrange for buyers, housing officials will proceed with plans for houses to be built on the lots, she said.

Gulley said most of the lots are in a flood zone but she wasn't sure of the exact number.

Hoping for more visibility, the group is planning to build a model home at the corner of Levis Avenue and Morgan Street.

The house does not yet have a buyer, she said, but she wants people to see the house and know that Clearwater Neighborhood Housing is serious about building homes in the city.

The organization's houses cost about $72,000 on average, she said, and tend to be purchased by first-time home buyers.

New homes in Union Academy are part of a plan to revitalize the neighborhood. For people who are working on improving the area, the additional flood costs are a frustrating obstacle.

"It's tough when you're trying to do something good, and there's a hurdle at every corner," said Tarpon Springs police Officer Ed Hayden, who has worked on a number of projects in the neighborhood.

He said it's a shame that some people might be priced out of buying a home.

"Even though it's their first home," he said, "it's also their dream home."

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