New Homes the Start of Many by University Area CDC
Tampa, Fla. – University Area CDC (Community Development Corporation) invites the public to a ribbon-cutting of the organization’s first two completed Sound & Secure Housing homes, at 921 E. 123rd Ave., Tampa, 33612, on Thursday, Sept. 26 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Sound & Secure Housing is an integrated family and neighborhood strengthening strategy that provides lease-to-purchase homes in Tampa’s disadvantaged University Area community. Sound & Secure Housing is in partnership with University Area CDC’s STEPS for Success® program, with the first two homes intended for single-parent families in need of a safe home environment.
“Housing is such an important tool that has to be in place in order for families, especially low-income families, to stabilize and move out of crisis,” said Sarah Combs, University Area CDC’s executive director. “In addition, we will provide these families with key wrap-around social services, to include a financial and housing education component. Not everyone is ready for homeownership, but we don’t want that to stop individuals from acquiring wealth and being able to achieve the American dream of homeownership. So, we structured it to give them up to a year to acquire the home as they go through homeownership classes.”
Seed funding has been provided by the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®.
“We are honored to partner with the University Area CDC to bring this transformational housing innovation to life,” said Peter Meyer, TD Market president for Central Florida. “TD recognizes that financial security and a better future begin with a safe and affordable place to live. That is why we were excited to award University Area CDC with our Housing for Everyone grant award in 2018.”
This home will be the first of many for residents of University Area, as additional lots have been purchased with similar intentions.
”The timing of our Sound & Secure Housing program is critical, especially with all of the development planned for the Uptown area,” said Combs. “Gentrification and cultural displacement often go hand in hand, excluding existing residents from the benefits of neighborhood revitalization. It’s imperative that we provide affordable housing and homeownership opportunities for the residents who call this community home.
Ten lots purchased by University Area CDC have been sold to Habitat for Humanity, which has begun building homes and moving families in.
New Homes – page 2
Also during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a newly constructed DreamBox (mini library on a pole) will be installed in front of the new homes and filled with books for residents to enjoy. Fifteen DreamBoxes recently have been completed and will be installed in the neighborhood, joining four others previously implanted. Funding for the new DreamBoxes was generously provided by the TD Charitable Foundation. DreamBoxes further a sense of community and increase access to books for readers of all ages, fostering increased literacy. University Area residents are encouraged to borrow, as well as donate, books.
To RSVP for the ribbon-cutting, participants are asked to email RSVP@UACDC.org.
University Area CDC, celebrating more than 20 years of serving the community, offers support for thousands of Tampa residents through youth programs, adult education and resource assistance. Its primary mission is the redevelopment and sustainability of the at-risk areas surrounding University of South Florida’s Tampa campus. For more information about University Area CDC, visit www.uacdc.org or call 813.558.5212.
This contribution supports TD’s longstanding commitment to community enrichment through The Ready Commitment, a multi-year platform that actively promotes inclusivity, economic vitality, environmental wellbeing and health, enabling people of all backgrounds to succeed in a rapidly changing world. As part of The Ready Commitment, TD targets CDN $1 billion (US $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four critical areas: Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through this platform, TD aspires to create a more inclusive tomorrow — helping people of all backgrounds feel more confident, not just about their finances, but about their ability to achieve their goals. For information, visit td.com/thereadycommitment.
About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. Since its inception in 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $200 million and more than 19,400 grants through donations to local nonprofits from Maine to Florida. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including the online grant application, is available at TDBank.com.
