Tampa says it has passed Mayor Castor's goal of 10,000 affordable housing units
The city counts 10,770 units planned, underway or finished, and says its down payment program set a record with 71 first-time buyers this fiscal year.
TAMPA - The City of Tampa says it has passed Mayor Jane Castor's goal of helping create 10,000 affordable housing opportunities during her administration. The city announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, that 10,770 units are planned, underway or completed, and that almost half are under construction or finished.
The count mixes new construction with work on existing homes. The city cited redevelopment at Rome Yards, West River and Marquee Square, and more than 1,100 units planned at the Army/Navy site in North Downtown, more than 700 of them for income-eligible households.
In a second release, the city said its Dare to Own the Dream (DARE) program recorded 71 homebuyer closings in fiscal year 2026, one more than its previous annual record. The program gives eligible first-time buyers up to $50,000 toward down payment and closing costs on homes inside city limits. This year's assistance totaled $5.31 million. Applications are open.
The releases do not say how many of the 10,770 units are finished or what income levels they serve.
Source: City of Tampa news releases, "City of Tampa Surpasses Mayor Castor's Goal of 10,000 Affordable Housing Units" and "Tampa's Down Payment Assistance Program Sets Homeownership Record", both posted Oct. 28, 2026.