Churches and other houses of worship in St. Petersburg will receive technical assistance to develop affordable housing on land they already own, under a new city program designed to expand the housing supply beyond traditional development sites.
The Florida Housing Coalition will provide technical assistance to congregations interested in developing housing under Florida’s “Yes in God’s Backyard,” or YIGBY, law. The Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg will host the program’s first information session July 28.
St. Petersburg became the first local government in Florida to adopt YIGBY into its land development code after the City Council unanimously approved the ordinance in December 2025. The ordinance allows affordable housing on land owned by religious institutions that contains, or is adjacent to, a house of worship regardless of the property’s underlying zoning.
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Mayor Kenneth Welch said many congregations own land that could help address the city’s housing shortage.
“Houses of worship are trusted anchors in every neighborhood, and many sit on land that could help close our affordable housing gap,” Welch said in a statement.
The city’s Office of Community Impact will oversee the program. Participating congregations will receive guidance on evaluating their sites, navigating the city’s review process and identifying funding sources, including Florida’s Predevelopment Loan Program, which helps cover early costs such as architectural design and environmental reviews.
The Florida Housing Coalition estimates YIGBY could unlock more than 30,000 parcels statewide for affordable housing development.
“St. Petersburg has set the standard for how local governments can activate YIGBY, and we’re proud to help take that work to the next step by supporting the congregations who are ready to explore building on their own land,” Florida Housing Coalition Chief Executive Officer Ashon Nesbitt said in a statement.
The first information session will take place at 10 a.m. July 28 at the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg’s Center for Health Equity. Interested congregations can contact the city’s Office of Community Impact for more information.
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