“Land That’s Underutilized”: A St Petersburg Church Begins 86 Affordable Homes Beside Its Sanctuary

• Construction began on Palm Lake Urban Sanctuary, 86 affordable homes on the grounds of Palm Lake Christian Church, 5401 22nd Avenue N., St Petersburg.
• The three-storey building is for households earning up to 80 per cent of the area median income.
• Partners are the church, the Pinellas County Housing Authority and Newstar Development; the city put in more than $1.5 million of ARPA funds.
• Completion is targeted for December 31, 2026.

A St Petersburg church has started building affordable homes on its spare land. The St Pete Catalyst, in a report by Michael Connor, said construction had begun on Palm Lake Urban Sanctuary in the Disston Heights neighbourhood.

The three-storey building at 5401 22nd Avenue N. will have 86 affordable homes for households earning up to 80 per cent of the area median income, with 129 parking spaces, a garden area and a playground. Community discussions began in 2022 and the city approved the plan in 2023. Completion is targeted for December 31, 2026.

The project is a partnership between Palm Lake Christian Church, the Pinellas County Housing Authority and Newstar Development. Bank of America is providing construction and permanent loans and low-income housing tax credits, and the City of St Petersburg contributed more than $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Oscar Banks, Palm Lake’s lead pastor, said: “We just saw that we have land that’s underutilized, and why not use it to actually build housing for those who are in need.” Brian Evjen, president of Newstar Development, said: “There’s a critical need for attainable and workforce housing in St. Pete, and I think it’s always great when we can provide that.” Neil Brickfield, executive director of the housing authority, said: “PLUS isn’t just about creating housing – it’s about creating belonging.”

Palm Lake’s project combines a church’s land with a public housing authority and a private developer, each bringing something the others lack. The church keeps worshipping on the site while the homes are built beside it. Jamaican churches with land they rarely use could explore partnerships with housing agencies and developers in the same way, particularly for working families who earn too much for social housing but too little for market rents. Such projects take years of planning and community discussion, and churches should start those conversations early.