Robles Park Village: A New Chapter in Community Transformation

by Jerome D. Ryans, President & CEO, Tampa Housing Authority

Unless you have been completely unplugged, you have likely seen recent news coverage about the redevelopment of Robles Park Village. The redevelopment of Robles is not simply a construction project, it is a generational investment in people, place, and purpose. As President and CEO of the Tampa Housing Authority, I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how thoughtful, inclusive redevelopment can reshape the trajectory of entire neighborhoods. Robles Park Village is our next bold step forward.

Located in the heart of Tampa Heights, Robles Park Village has long stood as a symbol of public housing's legacy-its promise and its challenges. Today, we are writing a new story for this 35-acre site. One that honors its past, acknowledges its present, and builds a future rooted in equity, dignity, and opportunity.

This vision grounded in our mission to cultivate affordable housing while empowering people and transforming communities. This mission is not aspirational-it is operational. It guides every decision we make, from the design of our buildings to the partnerships we forge.

The Robles Park Village redevelopment embodies this mission in full. We are replacing 433 aging units with approximately 1,800 new mixed-income, mixed-use homes. In addition, we are creating a vibrant, walkable community where housing is just the beginning. We are saying goodbye to so-called housing projects and creating thriving neighborhoods.

Public housing has too often been stigmatized as a symbol of concentrated poverty. Our work at Robles, as with ENCORE and West River, is dismantling that narrative. Mixed-use, mixed-income developments do more than provide shelter-they create ecosystems of opportunity. At ENCORE, residents now enjoy access to Bell Pharmacy and the Meacham Urban Farm. At West River, families shop at Publix and bank at Grow Financial-West Tampa's first bank branch in decades. These are not luxuries. They are necessities. They bring jobs closer to home, restore dignity to neighborhoods, and return properties to the tax roll, strengthening the city as a whole.

Robles Park Village will follow this proven model. A 30,000-square-foot Smart Community Hub will anchor the development, offering health services, financial literacy programs, educational support, and job placement assistance. This hub will serve not only Robles residents, but more than 20,000 neighbors in the surrounding area.

We are building the future while also honoring the history. We embrace the future with solid foundations rooted in the legacy of our past. The Robles Park site is also home to the historic Zion Cemetery-Tampa's first African American burial grounds. We are working closely with the Zion Cemetery Preservation and Maintenance Society and the Tampa Bay History Center to create a memorial and genealogical research center that will preserve this sacred space and educate future generations. Our work is not just about bricks and mortar. We are ensuring that the stories of those who came before us are no longer erased, but elevated.

This transformation would not be possible without the hard work of our staff, who bring professionalism and passion to this work every day. I am deeply grateful to our development partner, PMG Affordable, for their vision and expertise. I also want to thank our elected officials-Congresswoman Kathy Castor, Mayor Jane Castor, and Commissioner Gwen Myers-for their faithful support and advocacy. Also essential to our success are our funding partners Banc of America Community Development Corporation and the Housing Finance Authority of Hillsborough County. I am thankful to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for their continued partnership and trust in our agency's ability to deliver results that matter. I extend my sincere appreciation to the Tampa Housing Authority Board of Commissioners for their leadership and guidance, and above all, to the residents whose input and participation helped shape this effort and make it a reality.

We do not simply house people. We develop entire communities, because a roof over one's head is not enough. People need access to education, healthcare, social services, and economic opportunity. They need safe streets, thriving businesses, and spaces that inspire pride. Our holistic approach is in part why housing authorities from across the country come to Tampa to learn from our model. They see what is possible when public housing is reimagined as a platform for upward mobility through public and private partnerships.

Robles Park Village is not just a redevelopment. It is a declaration-that every person, regardless of income, deserves to live in a community that uplifts them... and we are just getting started.