Related retains Tampa projects despite affordable housing investigation

The Tampa Housing Authority wants Miami-based Related Group to do a senior housing renovation project despite a federal investigation of affordable housing developments by Related and other companies.

The board of the housing authority voted unanimously to enter a partnership with Related to renovate Mary Bethune High Rise Apartments, an eight-story senior housing building just west of downtown Tampa.

Related also is the Tampa Housing Authority’s lead developer for most of a 120-acre housing and retail development called West River.

The authority still could change its mind about Related prior to the start of the construction phase of development, Leroy Moore, the authority’s chief operating officer, told the Tampa Bay Times.

The Miami Herald has reported that federal investigators issued subpoenas for approximately 30 affordable housing projects in Miami-Dade County that qualified for subsidies from a county bond program. Related is one of several firms that built the affordable housing projects and are under investigation for possible misuse of subsidy money.

Rehabilitation of Mary Bethune High Rise Apartments, a vacant 150-unit residential building, could start in the first quarter of 2018 at an estimated cost of $70,000 per unit. [Tampa Bay Times] – Mike Seemuth