Catholic Charities, Hillsborough County turns Ruskin motel into apartments for low-income residents

RUSKIN, Fla. - Tampa Bay’s housing crisis is forcing everyone to think creatively, including turning old motels into brand new apartments.

Catholic Charities officially opened 13 units to low-income residents with the help of Hillsborough County funding last month. The nonprofit converted the former Carol Motel in Ruskin on U.S. Highway 41 into an apartment complex, using $500,000 from Catholic Charities and $1.5 million from Hillsborough County. 

"It gives them a place to stay, they have a year. It’s below market rents," said Lou Ricardo, the director of marketing and donor relations at Catholic Charities. "It’s everybody who are underemployed, or the rents have gone up, they can’t keep up with the rent. They have nowhere to go, no family, no savings."

For Angelina Frank and her husband Bob, the Las Villas Apartments were exactly what they needed. The Franks call Las Villas home after living out of their truck for four months.

"It was rough. It was really hard," she said. "We had no other option than to be in the truck. Family couldn’t take us in. Everybody was full."

The stories of shelters full, high rents and no place to go are issues Hillsborough County is tackling. Helping to pay for the Las Villas project was just the beginning. The county has $24 million set aside for more motel-type conversions, said Hillsborough County Commissioner Kimberly Overman.

"The first project should be able to give us about 90 units. The second project is about 30 or 40 units," said Overman. "This is an innovative way of actually creating units as quickly as possible that we’ve found productive."

The housing crisis is hitting everyone in some way. For the Franks, they said having a place to call home helps them save money and figure out the next step.

"It means everything to me. It does because like I said if Catholic Charities hadn’t allowed us to move in here, I don’t know how much longer I would have lived. I’m serious about that," said Frank.

Catholic Charities said they plan to build two more apartment complexes using the same method. Ricardo said rent ranges from nothing to just under $400 and the goal is to help residents figure out jobs or more permanent housing.