By Linda Fisher, AICP
The Advantage Pinellas Housing Regulatory Toolkit
Forward Pinellas has just released a new Housing Regulatory Toolkit—a set of practical strategies that cities and towns across the county can use to help make housing more affordable.
This Toolkit, a joint project with Pinellas County Housing and Community Development, is part of a larger effort called the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact. The compact is a shared commitment signed by Pinellas County, Forward Pinellas, and seven cities to tackle the housing crisis together. Any community in Pinellas County can join in.
Why does this matter?
Because right now, housing is simply too expensive for many people in our community. A recent study found that Pinellas County needs more than 3,300 new homes each year to keep up with demand—but we need to do more, as we typically produce only about 2,700. And most of what’s being built is priced out of reach for our residents, especially working families, young adults, and seniors. In fact, nearly 60% of renters are spending more than they can afford on housing.
That’s where the Toolkit comes in. It gives local governments ready-made policies and tools they can tailor to support the kinds of housing we need most—whether that’s by allowing more homes on a single property (a density bonus) or by lowering the number of parking spaces required, which helps reduce construction costs. These kinds of changes can make it easier and financially viable for developers to build homes that more people can actually afford.
The Housing Regulatory Toolkit was created with help from experts, developers, and local government staff from across Pinellas County. It includes:
- Model policies and code language to guide how affordable and workforce housing can be built
- A menu of incentives like density bonuses, fee reductions, and parking flexibility
- Guidance for smaller communities with limited resources, as well as more advanced options for larger ones
- Strategies for adding more diverse types of housing, such as accessory dwelling units, senior housing, and mixed-use buildings near transit
- Recommendations for how local governments can work with their communities and partners to overcome common challenges
What is the goal?
Make it easier for cities and towns to take action—without having to start from scratch—and create more consistent rules countywide, so developers know what to expect when they want to build affordable homes.
What is next?
In September, the Forward Pinellas Board will review a few minor updates to the Countywide Rules (which we use to coordinate land use regulation across Pinellas County) to help support the Toolkit. After that, our staff will begin reaching out to local governments to let them know about the new resource and offer our assistance with putting it to use.
Creating more affordable housing takes teamwork. This Toolkit is just one step—but it’s a big one—toward building a future where everyone in Pinellas County has a place to call home.
