RIVERVIEW, Fla. — Officials celebrated the opening of a new apartment complex in Hillsborough County that helps create safe, affordable homes for seniors.
“I like everything,” said Julia Alomar. "It’s a new, second opportunity for me. I was homeless.”
Watch report from Mary O'Connell
Alomar lives at Zion Village in Riverview. She was overcome with emotion at what the opportunity means for her life.
“When I come to my apartment, it’s like a miracle you know,” said Alomar. "I’ve never been in a new apartment. It’s so exciting. I can rest. I got my house.”
On Tuesday, officials cut the ribbon on Zion Village, a 75-unit apartment complex exclusively for low-income seniors. The complex sits on about two acres owned by Mt. Zion AME Church of Riverview.
“The fact that we were able to help Miss Julia and so many more Miss Julia’s, it just gives me so much joy,” said Rev. Karen Jackson Sims, the Senior Pastor at Mt. Zion AME Church of Riverview.
The pastor said it took them four years to get to this point. In fact, Tampa Bay 28 met Jackson Sims in November 2024 as they broke ground on the project.
“We had seniors that asked if they could sleep at the church on the concrete when the elements were bad and when they did not feel safe in the community, and we told them yes, but it broke my heart that they were sleeping on the concrete and I was sleeping in a warm bed,” said Rev. Jackson Sims.
Hillsborough County contributed $6.8 million to the project, which involves a collaboration between the county, the Tampa Housing Authority, Smith & Henzy Affordable Group, Mt. Zion AME Church of Riverview, and Adonai’s Second Chances, Inc.
“One at a time, person by person,” said Rev. Jackson Sims. "That’s what we’re called to do.”
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