A vacant St. Petersburg church site could get a second life as a proposed cluster of 14 affordable homes — a much smaller plan than the 39-townhome project once considered for the property. Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside expects construction to begin in 2027 if the development clears city approval.
The project, called St. Bede’s, would create a new affordable homeownership community in the Lake Euclid neighborhood on the former site of St. Bede Episcopal Church. St. Pete Rising reports that the church was built in 1952 and demolished in 2023.
Habitat purchased the two-acre property from the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida for $1.4 million in 2025, according to Florida YIMBY. The development’s name is meant to preserve a connection to the former congregation while putting the land back into residential use.
Community Feedback Shrunk The Original Development
Habitat initially explored a townhome project with as many as 39 units, but the concept changed after community meetings and additional financial analysis. Mike Sutton, the organization’s CEO, told St. Pete Rising that single-family homes ultimately appeared to be the better fit for the site and the organization’s model.
The revised plan calls for 14 single-family houses averaging about 1,500 square feet. The floor plans are expected to include mostly two- and three-bedroom homes, along with one- and two-car garages, with construction dependent on approval from the City of St. Petersburg, Florida YIMBY reports.
Who Could Qualify For The Homes
Prospective buyers would need to earn between 30% and 80% of the area median income and demonstrate a need for safe, stable housing. Habitat’s program also requires applicants to show they can repay an affordable mortgage and commit to working alongside the organization through its homeownership process.
That structure is built around ownership rather than short-term housing assistance. According to Habitat for Humanity, selected buyers contribute hundreds of hours of sweat equity while working with volunteers and other Habitat homeowners.
The affordability target comes as St. Petersburg’s housing costs remain substantial. The U.S. Census Bureau lists the city’s median household income at $75,192, median gross rent at $1,663 and median value for owner-occupied homes at $371,100.
Habitat expects to pursue site-plan approval this year, with construction eyed for 2027. If the schedule holds, the former church property will trade a demolished sanctuary for a small neighborhood of homes intended to carry forward at least part of St. Bede’s community legacy.
