Longlake Preserve, a five-phase townhome community from Habitat for Humanity on the Clearwater-Largo border, is closing in on the finish line. Several families are already settling into newly completed units, even as the local affiliate moves ahead on a second wave of construction right next door. Habitat has closed on an adjacent roughly eight-acre parcel and says it plans to build about 100 additional townhomes there, a move that underlines the shift toward denser homeownership options as land prices and construction costs squeeze would-be buyers in Pinellas County.
Mike Sutton, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside, told Tampa Bay 28 that the nonprofit has found an unusually strong ally in local government. “The City of Largo has been a phenomenal partner to Habitat,” he said, adding that the affiliate has built roughly 250 homes in the Largo area. Sutton framed Longlake Preserve as part of a deliberate push to create ownership opportunities for local teachers, health care workers and first responders who are increasingly priced out of the market.
Longlake Preserve Nears Completion
Longlake Preserve is being built in five phases and is slated to total 54 homes, with 52 townhomes and two single-family houses, according to Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside. Pinellas County’s project page notes a Dec. 20, 2023, groundbreaking and highlights the county and city gap funding that helped cover infrastructure costs on the site, a key factor in making the numbers work.
Habitat held a dedication in December 2025, handing keys to eight families and kicking off a broader move-in wave. New homeowner Kristen Mims said the change has already been transformative for her household. “There are no words to put into a sentence to describe how much this will impact our lives,” Mims told St. Pete Catalyst…