Florida County Ends $10M Housing Fund, Putting 1,100 Homes at Risk
You’ve probably heard about the growing affordable housing crisis in Florida, right? In Hillsborough County, the HOPE Affordable Housing Fund was a big part of the solution. Launched in 2019, this fund set aside $10 million every year to help create affordable housing for families, seniors, and people with disabilities who were struggling to find a place to live.
Each year, the county used that money to support housing projects—everything from building new homes to fixing up old ones. The goal was simple: to provide a safe, affordable place for people to live, especially those who were facing the pressures of rising rent and limited housing options.
But the HOPE Fund wasn’t just about numbers. It was about changing lives. It was about ensuring that families who worked hard every day didn’t have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table.
The Decision to Eliminate the Fund: What Led to the Repeal?
On June 18, 2025, the Hillsborough County Commission made a tough decision. They voted 5-2 to eliminate the HOPE Affordable Housing Fund, and I know, you might be wondering, why would they do that? Well, it wasn’t just about cutting funding—it was about how they prioritize resources. Some commissioners argued that in these financially challenging times, reallocating the funds was necessary to focus on other critical services, like public safety…