TAMPA, Fla. — Angerloe Bellamy calls her time living at Robles Park in Tampa a stepping stone.
"It was a great opportunity for me to come in and seek housing and to better my life for myself and my children,” said Bellamy.
It’s now transforming right before her eyes as the Tampa Housing Authority revitalizes the 35-acre community.
“For me, it was well overdue,” said Bellamy.
Back in September, Tampa Bay 28 reported on the start of the demolition process at Robles Park.
On Thursday, US Rep. Kathy Castor and other leaders announced a $1.2 million federal investment toward the redevelopment.
"This $1.2 million will help with the infrastructure to keep this project on track, so that our neighbors have a safe, modern, and more affordable place to call home,” said Rep. Castor.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Mary O’Connell spoke to David Iloanya, the Director of Real Estate Development with the Tampa Housing Authority, about the scope of the project.
“When it’s all said and done, we’re looking at from 400 units to roughly 1,900 units, of which roughly 1,300 would be affordable,” said Iloanya.
The city shared last year how the project will create not only housing, but also a grocery store, educational services, a community hub and a Zion Cemetery memorial.
“We discovered and formed a cemetery board, Zion Cemetery board, which will be responsible for making sure that this place is properly transformed into a genealogy center, in memory of those who we thought was forgotten, but they still live,” said Iloanya.
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