Savanna Thompson received the keys to her new home at Windhorst Commons in Brandon during a dedication ceremony with Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough and home sponsor Gensler. The handoff marks a turning point for Thompson, who works for ECHO of Brandon and has said she hopes to open her home to children who need a safe place to land.
As reported by Osprey Observer, Thompson has lived in more than 10 homes over the years, including a one-bedroom apartment with a bug infestation. She contributed hundreds of hours of sweat equity to earn her place in the program, helping build not just her own house but the broader Windhorst Commons neighborhood alongside other future homeowners.
A Home Inspired By Pope Leo's Call to Serve
Thompson's house is the third of eight homes being built through the Pope Leo Village initiative, a Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough project inspired by Pope Leo's commitment to serving others. The initiative encourages people of all faiths to support affordable homeownership through volunteering and giving, according to the Osprey Observer story. A related dossier item describes the broader Pope Leo Village effort as an eight-home, multicity undertaking sponsored and inspired by an anonymous donor, as detailed in a separate Osprey Observer report on the project's first two completed homes.
Tina Forcier, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough, said Pope Leo Village helps families build a better future by giving time and resources. Gensler sponsored its second Habitat home with Thompson's house, and Sarah Joubert, principal and managing director at Gensler, said the firm is proud to partner with Habitat to create a place where Savanna can feel belonging and pursue her envisioned future.
Hoping to Open Her Door to Foster Children
Thompson hopes to become a licensed foster parent now that she has stable housing of her own, aiming to provide children with safety and stability she didn't always have growing up. It's a goal that reflects what she has said about wanting to give kids who need it a safe place to call home.
Inside Windhorst Commons
Windhorst Commons is Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough's 23-home neighborhood in Brandon, featuring hurricane-resilient construction, the organization notes according to the Osprey Observer's earlier coverage of two other families receiving keys there. Habitat homeowners contribute sweat equity, putting in hundreds of hours helping build their homes, and the nonprofit says it has worked with local homeowners and the community on more than 650 homes since 1987.
Habitat's homeownership model does not require a down payment; instead, per Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough, future homeowners invest in their homes through sweat equity hours and purchase them with an affordable mortgage, while covering their own closing costs. New homes built through the program are certified to comply with Energy Star and Florida Water Star standards.
Other Windhorst Commons families have found similar paths to ownership. Vanscena Wilson and the Dodson family previously received keys to their new homes in the community, with Wilson's house made possible through the support of Strategic Property Partners. Sharvona Jordan and David Reece became the first homeowners in the Pope Leo Village initiative, moving into homes located across the street from each other in Windhorst Commons.
Completion timelines for the rest of the neighborhood have varied across coverage. The Osprey Observer reported that the remaining homes in the community are expected to be completed by early 2027, while FOX 13 Tampa Bay earlier reported the homes at Windhorst Commons were expected to be completed in early 2026, with families moving in soon afterward.
A Deepening Affordability Gap Across Florida
Thompson's story unfolds against a stark backdrop of housing costs statewide. Florida's median single-family home price reached $401,000 in the first half of 2025, according to the Shimberg Center for Housing Studies at the University of Florida. Median rent in the state jumped nearly $500 a month, from $1,238 to $1,719, between 2019 and 2023, despite the addition of more than 240,000 multifamily units.
The center also found Florida has a deficit of 660,282 affordable and available rental units for households earning below 60% of area median income, and that 904,635 low-income renters in the state pay more than 40% of their income toward housing. Windhorst Commons homes are being built for families earning less than 80% of the area median income, according to a separate WFLA report on the development's hurricane-ready construction, which includes concrete block walls, hip roofs and hurricane shutters as described by FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough is seeking $950,000 during the current legislative session to help build six additional affordable homes for income-eligible families, with $600,000 earmarked for land acquisition and $350,000 for construction costs, per WFLA's reporting. The organization's annual CEO Build has also brought together more than 75 Tampa Bay CEOs, executives and business leaders to support the broader mission.
