Catalyze 2026: Mike Sutton (Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside)

We’re asking thought leaders, business people and creatives to talk about the upcoming new year and give us catalyzing ideas for making St. Pete a better place to live. What should our city look like? What are their hopes, their plans, their problem-solving ideas? This is Catalyze 2026.

Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside CEO Mike Sutton believes affordable homeownership can play a critical role in keeping Tampa Bay’s workforce rooted in the region. As Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay looks ahead to 2026, the organization is sharpening its focus on housing as a workforce retention tool – particularly for essential workers who increasingly struggle to afford living in the communities they serve. “We’re seeing people leave not just Pinellas County, but the region and even the state because of affordability,” Sutton said. “Teachers, first responders and healthcare workers – these are the people who keep our community running.”

More than half of the families Habitat serves work in education, healthcare or public service, Sutton said. Many earn solid incomes but remain priced out of traditional homeownership due to rising housing costs, limited inventory and financial barriers. Habitat’s model aims to address those barriers directly. Families in the program receive zero-interest mortgages, no down payment requirements and no private mortgage insurance, keeping housing costs at or below 30% of household income. “Our goal is measurable,” Sutton said. “It’s stability. It’s ensuring people can stay here.”

In 2026, Habitat plans to expand partnerships with employers across Tampa Bay, positioning affordable homeownership as part of broader workforce support strategies. Sutton said businesses are increasingly open to conversations that go beyond wages and benefits. “It’s no longer just about paying people more and expecting them to stay,” he said. “Employers are realizing housing is a major factor in retention.”

Habitat joined the St. Petersburg Area Economic Development Corp. in 2024 to help facilitate those conversations with the region’s business community. The goal is to connect employers directly with Habitat as a resource for employees facing housing challenges.“When we partner with a business and help one employee get into our program, it often becomes a referral pipeline,” Sutton said. “At places like St. Anthony’s Hospital, we consistently have multiple employees working through our program at any given time.”

Still, misconceptions remain. Sutton said some employers hesitate out of concern that participation could signal inadequate pay. “That’s our biggest obstacle,” he said. “But the reality is many of the families we serve earn up to $85,000 a year. They have income – they just face too many barriers to access traditional financing.” Sutton also pointed to lingering stigma around Habitat’s work, often framed as “free housing.”

“We don’t give houses away,” he said. “Families invest hundreds of hours of sweat equity, complete financial education, and pay a mortgage. The difference is we remove the barriers that keep people locked out of homeownership.”

Habitat continues working to shift public perception through education and conversation, Sutton said, noting that language and framing matter. “It’s eight families receiving keys to homes they worked for,” he said. “Not a giveaway.”

With rising housing costs and workforce migration accelerating, Sutton said 2026 presents a critical window for action.

“The time is now,” he said. “If we want people to stay, we have to help them put down roots.”