One St. Petersburg housing award is doing two jobs: adding apartments and preserving existing ones. The St. Petersburg Housing Authority says $7.4 million will help build The Hartford Apartments and renovate the nearby Saratoga Apartments.
Seventy-five apartments are planned at The Hartford
The St. Petersburg Housing Authority's October 15 project announcement, which was highlighted again in its news feed on October 23, says The Hartford will contain 75 new affordable family apartments. The 1.35-acre site is at Hartford Street North and 32nd Avenue North, near the 34th Street corridor. The housing authority already owns the land.
SPHA is working with Blue Sky Communities and Place Architecture. The announcement identifies the site, unit count, development partners, and funding award, but it does not provide a construction start date, completion date, rent schedule, or application opening.
Thirty-four existing units are part of the plan too
The same project will include renovations at Saratoga Apartments, located nearby at 3475 32nd Avenue North. Saratoga has 34 affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments in two two-story buildings.
That preservation piece matters. New units get most of the attention, but keeping an older affordable property in service protects housing that already exists. The announcement does not list the renovation scope, so it would be premature to assume which building systems or apartment interiors will be changed.
Where did the money come from?
St. Petersburg City Council approved the award on October 1 as part of $40.85 million for six affordable-housing projects. The money comes through the federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program.
The $7.4 million award supports the Hartford and Saratoga work, but an award is not the same thing as a finished building. Development still involves design, permitting, financing, contracting, and construction. Those steps can affect timing.
Can someone apply now?
The announcement does not say that a waitlist is open for The Hartford. Anyone interested should use SPHA's official application and housing pages for current information and should not rely on a social-media post that promises access.
When applications eventually become available, pay attention to the eligibility rules for that specific property. Affordable apartments may use income limits, household-size rules, occupancy standards, or other program requirements. Being eligible for one SPHA program does not automatically establish eligibility for every development.
Why this is relevant beyond one corner of Pinellas
Pinellas County has limited land and high development costs, so projects that combine new construction with preservation can make a real difference. This one is also a reminder to separate three stages that often get mixed together in headlines: funding approval, construction, and move-in availability.
For now, the verified news is specific: $7.4 million was awarded, 75 new apartments are planned, and 34 existing apartments are slated for renovation. Dates for construction and applications were not included in the announcement.
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