Florida Construction News staff writer

A recent groundbreaking launched construction on 66 new affordable apartments in St. Petersburg.

The start of construction for SkyWay Lofts II at 3800 34th St. S. is the first of many launches expected this spring that will bring more than 400 new affordable and workforce homes to the county.

Pinellas County, the City of St. Petersburg and other cities have joined forces on projects and programs to make it easier to build affordable homes anywhere in the county.

The $22.9-million project being developed by Blue Sky Communities,

is supported with $6.5-million from St. Petersburg and $3.4-million from a portion of the County’s Penny for Pinellas funds dedicated to creating new affordable homes.

SkyWay Lofts II follows the construction of SkyWay Lofts, a 65-unit apartment building that opened in 2022 located next door to the new development.

Both apartment developments are for people who earn 80 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), which is about $46,000 for an individual.

SkyWay Lofts II is the latest project supported by a countywide partnership that has helped thousands of individuals and families find a quality home they can afford since 2018. Local governments in the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact work together to promote consistent policies and programs and support projects that create more housing choices.

The countywide compact includes plans developed by each member city to help local people find homes they can afford in their own communities, such as St. Petersburg’s Housing Opportunities for All plan.

For an overview of countywide housing efforts, see: www.homesforpinellas.org.

Formed in 2012 in Pinellas County, Blue Sky Communities is a leading advocate for helping local governments and nonprofits across Florida reach their affordable housing goals by developing state of the art, environmentally sound affordable housing units. Learn more here: https://blueskycommunities.com.