City considers affordable housing on vacant Jamestown lots in downtown St. Pete
/One of nine vacant lots near the corner of 14th Street North and Burlington Avenue that the City of St. Pete is considering for affordable housing development | Google Maps
The City of St. Petersburg is moving forward with a plan to create new affordable housing on a collection of vacant, city-owned lots near the Jamestown Apartments and Townhomes, just west of Unity Park near downtown.
The proposal centers on nine infill parcels totaling about 1.7 acres, located between 12th Lane North and 15th Street North, and between 4th Avenue North and Burlington Avenue.
The lots have sat unused for more than 40 years, originally acquired as part of a 1982 redevelopment plan that required a buffer around the Jamestown complex.
That requirement expired in 2012, and city officials say the land is no longer needed for that purpose.
During a March 12th Housing, Land Use, and Transportation Committee meeting, Council Members unanimously approved moving forward with a charter amendment that would remove the parcels from the city’s legally binding Parks and Waterfront Map.
The Jamestown neighborhood is located north of the EDGE District in downtown St. Pete | Google Maps
That designation, approved by voters in 1984, currently prevents the city from selling or developing the land.
The charter amendment would need voter approval through a citywide referendum, potentially appearing on the November 2026 ballot.
If voters approve the change, the city would pursue two parallel development paths. Four of the smaller lots could be added to the city’s Affordable Lot Disposition Program for single-family homes, while the remaining five larger parcels could be offered through a request for proposals for affordable multifamily development.
City staff indicated the larger sites could support roughly 37 workforce and affordable housing units if rezoned to Neighborhood Suburban Multifamily-2 (NSM-2) with a Residential High land use designation.
these nine vacant lots, spanning 1.7 acres, could be developed into affordable housing | City of ST. Pete
The new units would be separate from the existing Jamestown Apartments, a 76-unit affordable housing complex originally built in 1976 that the city plans to continue operating and maintaining.
City officials said the parcels are not used as park space and have instead become a maintenance burden, with reports of illegal dumping and other issues.
Repurposing the land for housing would eliminate those ongoing costs while adding new units in an area already anchored by existing affordable housing.
The city expects to finalize the charter amendment language by April, followed by required public notice to nearby property owners before City Council consideration in early summer.
While committee members supported advancing the measure, some expressed hesitation about turning the sites over to private developers.
Council Vice-Chair Richie Floyd said he would prefer the city retain ownership and control of the land.
“I don’t see why we can’t develop the property and we control it and have all sorts of ways to finance it,” Floyd said. “I can’t motivate people to take city land and put it into private hands.”
City staff noted that the ballot language is intentionally broad, allowing flexibility for the city to sell the land, partner with a developer, or retain ownership while overseeing development.
Council Member Gina Driscoll also emphasized the importance of clearly communicating to voters that the parcels are not traditional park space and do not offer amenities typically associated with public parks.
If approved, the effort would represent a relatively quick path to adding new affordable and workforce housing units to the market.
