Habitat breaks ground on 26-townhome affordable housing community in Lealman
/A conceptual rendering of Habitat’s new townhome community coming soon to Lealman | G2 Design, LLC
A vacant site across from Lealman Elementary School will become a permanently affordable townhome community for 26 local families.
Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside and local officials gathered Thursday at 4000 58th Avenue North to mark the start of infrastructure work for Lealman Heights, a two-story townhome development at the corner of 58th Avenue North and 40th Street North.
The 26 townhomes are part of a broader 57-home Habitat community in Lealman, which will also include 31 single-family homes now under construction.
“Lealman Heights represents more than the construction of new homes,” Mike Sutton, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside, said at the groundbreaking. “It represents opportunity, stability, and a brighter future for local families who have worked hard and dreamed of the chance to own a home in the community they love.”
The 26 townhomes will each span 1,500 square feet and include three bedrooms and a garage. The homes will be priced between $240,000 and $280,000, based on a buyer’s income.
High Point Engineering and G2 Design are leading the project team.
Habitat expects vertical construction to begin in summer 2027.
Lealman Heights, a 26-townhome community, will be located on the corner of 58th Avenue North and 40th Street North in Lealman | Google maps
To keep cost low for homeowners, the property will be placed in a community land trust.
Under that structure, the land remains owned by the trust and is leased to homeowners through a 99-year renewable ground lease.
This approach ensures long-term affordability, even as homes change hands over time.
The county is contributing about $2.29 million toward the approximately $10 million project, including $1.8 million in Penny for Pinellas funding for vertical construction and $465,000 through the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area.
Pinellas County Commissioner Renee Flowers said projects like this are critical to “making sure that we have enough teachers that live in our community and work in our community,” as well as police officers, firefighters, and EMTs.
Habitat has completed more than 100 homes in Lealman over the years, including its 1,000th Tampa Bay-area home nearby. Sutton said the nonprofit has completed nearly 40 homes on the surrounding blocks, allowing more families to remain in the community.
As with all Habitat projects, the homes will be reserved for buyers earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income. Prospective homeowners must complete 38 homebuyer education classes and contribute between 350 and 450 “sweat equity” hours working on Habitat homes.
Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside and local officials broke ground on a new 26-unit townhome community in Lealman on Thursday | Habitat for Humanity
In return, they receive a fixed-rate, zero-percent-interest mortgage.
The future neighborhood will include Justice Way, named after former Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice, whom Sutton credited with encouraging Habitat to focus on Lealman.
Another road, Carter Drive, will honor former President Jimmy Carter, whose work with Habitat helped expand the organization’s profile and reach.
Florida Rep. Linda Chaney said the development reflects broader public and private investment in the unincorporated community.
“The beautiful design speaks to the renaissance that we are seeing Lealman go through,” Chaney said. “We are creating a neighborhood that has reduced crime, beautification going on, and families moving in.”
Habitat is also advancing several other affordable housing projects in Pinellas County, including the 40-unit Pelican Place townhome community near Tangerine Plaza in St. Pete, a 14-home development in St. Pete’s Lake Euclid neighborhood, and nearly 100 townhomes on the former American Collegiate Academy site in Largo.
Site plan for Habitat’s 26-unit townhome community coming to 4000 58th Avenue North in Lealman | High Point Engineering
