As the President and CEO of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA), I am pleased to share with you some exciting updates and news in our Summer Newsletter.

This summer has been a busy and productive time for our community. We are thrilled to announce that we are moving forward with the redevelopment of the former Edward White Hospital, which will be renamed "The Edward White Campus." This project will transform the site into a beautiful, multi-story affordable housing complex. The new six-story, 121,000-square-foot building will include 71 apartments for seniors and professional office space. Our administrative offices will also be moving to this new location, allowing us to be closer to you and to serve you better.

As always, our priority is to provide you with safe, sanitary, accessible, decent, and affordable housing and to improve the quality of life in our community. Thank you for being a part of our SPHA community.

On May 30th, the home dedication ceremony was held for our SPHA Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program participant Amber. This milestone marked the completion of Amber's final FSS goal - homeownership - and her successful graduation from the FSS program!

SPHA is thrilled to announce that it has been selected as a 2024 AARP Community Challenge grantee! The grant will be used to enhance the Jordan Park Community Garden, making it more accessible for the community.

On May 22nd, our SPHA Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) participant, Natoya, closed on her new home! Natoya partnered with the St. Jude Great Commission Community Development Corporation (CDC) program to build her brand-new home.

On April 16th, SPHA organized an exhilarating tree climb event at Jordan Park, hosted by Pathfinder Outdoor Education. The thrilling outdoor experience allowed young adventurers to conquer new heights under the guidance of skilled professionals.

On April 2nd, SPHA hosted "Coffee & Conversations" at Sunset Oaks Apartments. The event brought together senior residents for a morning of socialization and coffee. The highlight of the event was the engaging hands-on marine life educational experience provided by the Tampa Bay Watch team. Seniors had the chance to learn about marine animals and even had the unique opportunity to see some up close, much to their delight!

Did you know that a ceiling fan’s performance is largely based on the direction the blades are spinning? This is because the direction of the blades determines how the air will be circulated within the space.

In warmer weather, when you’re trying to cool down interior spaces, the blades should spin counterclockwise to help cool the air by providing a downdraft.

Just don’t forget to switch the blades back to clockwise once the weather gets colder. This will create an updraft to help circulate the warm air around the room. And while you are changing the blade direction, balance any wobbly blades by tightening loose screws and dust them if needed.