City housing complex could expand without developing park

City administrators want to expand a publicly owned affordable housing complex near downtown St. Petersburg. However, an underutilized adjacent park is no longer part of the plan.

Councilmember Richie Floyd is also hesitant to give nine vacant parcels surrounding the Jamestown Apartments and Townhomes site to a private developer. In addition, any area changes will require a voter referendum due to an undecipherable 41-year-old map and associated land use restrictions.

A city council committee declined to approve or disapprove creating a charter amendment Thursday morning that would allow housing on the small, park-designated parcels, which currently feature “No Trespassing” signs. The legally binding 1984 Park & Waterfront Map muddied a complex process, and officials would like feedback from potential developers before moving it forward.

“This is completely different from where we started,” said Councilmember Brandi Gabbard. “I think we should be walking very cautiously into any sort of referendums. Voters are going to have a lot to absorb.”

City officials have struggled to decipher the legally binding 1984 Park & Waterfront Map and want to adopt a legal description system. Image: City documents.

Jamestown opened at 1035 Burlington Ave. N. in 1976 and provides 76 fully occupied affordable housing units. Unity Park borders the complex and abuts 4th Avenue North and the I-375 offramp.

Jamestown and its community center have proven successful. While administrators said conditions have improved, Unity Park’s primary users were historically homeless residents.

City officials first discussed creating additional affordable housing at Unity Park in August 2024. The underutilized green space is roughly a quarter mile from a homeless shelter operated by St. Vincent de Paul CARES.

Gabbard and Councilmember Gina Driscoll, who requested the update, suggested partnering with the nonprofit to provide wraparound services at the site. “I want to make sure we’re not finding needles in the park all the time anymore … but those are from people who need help,” Driscoll said in August.

Amy Foster, housing and neighborhood services administrator, said Thursday that the existing services have already created community tensions. “Particularly, as that area redevelops. For that reason, I would not want to put any additional strain on the area.”

Community Enrichment Administrator Mike Jefferis reiterated that “appropriate park users drive out inappropriate park users.” He said the city “throttled back” on developing Unity Park because “we don’t know how this community would respond to that.”

“We are, as a community, very protective of our parkland,” Jefferis added. “If I were a betting man, I think the chances of getting a referendum approved for Unity Park itself would be pretty slim-to-none.”

A map highlighting parcels (yellow) that the city could offer for affordable housing. The area shaded green is Unity Park. Image: City documents.

Administrators believe the nine parcels, totaling 1.7 acres, could provide a solution. However, the city charter has considered those vacant infill lots green space since 1984, and any land use changes would also require a referendum.

Moving from the current map-based system, a necessity, to utilizing legal property descriptions would require a separate referendum and citywide surveys. Staff will likely not complete the extensive process in time for the November 2026 elections.

Administrators recommended that city council members approve a referendum that would change Jamestown’s definition in the Parks & Waterfront Map and remove the nine lots to accommodate additional housing. Unity Park would remain unchanged.

Gabbard noted that state officials have pledged to put a property tax referendum on ballots in 2026. A developer could create roughly 40 units on the nine parcels if several pieces fall into place, and she questioned if the “juice is worth the squeeze.”

Foster said the city never receives complaints regarding the Boley Centers because the local affordable housing developer’s on-site services “keep the clientele working through their program.” Driscoll agreed and said the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate has also “shown they can do some amazing things with townhouses.”

“I just see an incredible opportunity,” Driscoll continued. “We don’t have a lot of neighborhoods left where you can afford an apartment, or afford to buy a place, and have easy access to the St. Pete Free Clinic, easy access to transit – to everywhere.”

She noted that Boley and Habitat projects address the root cause of neighborhood “push-back, which is people in need, and they need a place to go.” Floyd said he was no longer excited about the potential project: “Actually, I’m disappointed.”

“What’s exciting to me about Jamestown is that it’s unique in our city – we control it,” Floyd elaborated. “This is selling city land to a private developer, and having a referendum to do it. I want us to continue to innovate in the direction of city control, city ownership.”

Driscoll and Council Chair Copley Gerdes, who is not a voting committee member, wanted to move the process forward. Floyd, Gabbard and Councilmember Mike Harting preferred to continue the committee discussion.

“I don’t want to kill anything today, or have to vote ‘no,’” Floyd said. “But I’m going to be looking to administration for some sort of … assuagement of my feelings surrounding how we move forward with this.”

A city picture of Unity Park from August 2024 shows a homeless person sleeping in the walkway.