Construction begins on first affordable housing complex funded by Penny for Pinellas tax

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - On Monday, Pinellas County will break ground on its next big affordable housing complex. 

Bear Creek Commons will be a senior living complex located at 635 64th Street South in the Pasadena neighborhood of south St. Petersburg. 

The four-story building will include 85 units with a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartment homes. 

Rendering of the Bear Creek affordable housing project. 

Bear Creek is one of several affordable housing projects in the pipeline in Pinellas and the first Penny for Pinellas Affordable Housing Program recipient. 

RELATED: Pinellas County commissioners approve multi-million dollar affordable housing projects

To qualify to live there, residents will need to fall below one of three tiers of income limits: those making less than 30 percent of the area median income (AMI), those making less than 60 percent of AMI, and those under 80 percent of AMI. 

According to its website, Bear Creek will start accepting applications in the spring of 2024, but prospective residents can pre-register to receive the latest information on availability here. 

Currently, Pinellas County has more than 13,500 affordable housing units and nearly 1,400 units planned to be built or converted in the coming years.
Bear Creek hopes to be move-in ready by fall 2024.