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New workforce housing coming to South Tampa
More than 400 new affordable apartments are now under construction in South Tampa. FOX 13's Briona Arradondo brings us the story.
TAMPA, Fla - A major South Tampa apartment development is underway to expand affordable living options for middle-income workers struggling to find attainable housing where they live.
The three-story residential project will bring hundreds of new workforce housing units to the area.
South Tampa apartment development
What we know:
Hillpointe is building the Pointe Grand Interbay at Tampa apartments, a development located at 7400 Interbay Blvd. near MacDill Air Force Base. The three-story buildings will feature 408 apartments, which will mostly consist of two-bedroom and two-bathroom layouts.
Heavy construction equipment, including an excavator and a soil compactor, prepares the ground for the incoming three-story apartment complex.
The project is being built under Florida's Live Local Act, a 2023 law that fast-tracks workforce housing development by builders. While the law requires 40% of units to be affordable for people making 80% to 120% of the area’s median household income for at least 30 years, Hillpointe plans to make all 408 units affordable. Tampa's median household income sits around $75,000, according to 2024 Census data.
Workforce rental price details
What we don't know:
The exact monthly rental prices for the units have not been released by the developer. It also remains unclear how many of the 15 pending applications under the Live Local Act will be approved by city officials in 2026.
Florida workforce housing demand
The backstory:
The development process for this project began in 2024, making it only the second Live Local project in the city of Tampa. City officials stated that the law bypasses public hearings to speed up construction, though the city began sending notices to residents in 2025.
The city of Tampa currently has at least 15 applications in various stages of the approval process under the Live Local Act. Abbye Feeley, the administrator of development and economic opportunity for the city of Tampa, said a plan for Armenia Avenue is in permitting currently and others are under review.
Local community growth expectations
What they're saying:
"South Tampa has experienced rapid growth, and it's expected to have an 8 percent population growth over the next five years," said Seth Coleman, general counsel for Hillpointe in Winter Park, Florida. "We've seen vacancy there decrease even with more units coming online."
"There were some concerns on behalf of the community. Understanding that this is state-mandated, we really have to follow what the state rules are. We still wanted to keep the public aware," Feeley said.
Pointe Grand Interbay timeline
What's next:
Crews are moving forward with construction on the property using private money following the approval of a $67 million finance loan. The complex is scheduled to open in June 2027.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from municipal planning applications filed with the city of Tampa and corporate development statements from Hillpointe, as well as on-the-record statements provided by Hillpointe general counsel Seth Coleman and Tampa development administrator Abbye Feeley.