HOPE volunteers urge commissioners to restore $2 million to affordable-housing fund; speakers share personal stories

During the FY2026 budget public hearing, eight speakers associated with the volunteer group HOPE urged the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners to retain $2 million in the county’s HOPE Affordable Housing Fund and to consider restoring larger annual allocations in future budgets.

Sheila Simmons Tribble, co-president of HOPE and a member of Bible Based Fellowship Church, told the board, “It is an honor and a privilege to be able to stand here before you again to advocate for public housing, affordable housing, particularly for the most vulnerable in our community.” She cited data the speakers said were from the Hillsborough Homeless Initiative: “Right now 59 percent of our seniors are financially burdened,” and “5,200 students identified as McKinney-Vento,” referring to students who lack a regular fixed, adequate nighttime residence.

Lois Price, who described volunteer listening sessions in which HOPE asks residents “what are you worried about?,” asked the commissioners to “add your unique thread to a story of hope for thousands of housing insecure people around our county by allocating at least $2,000,000 of the budget to affordable housing.” Danielle Keating thanked commissioners who had advocated for keeping $2 million in the fund and warned that without the county contribution millions in matching state, federal and private funds might not be leveraged.

Willa Peterson, founder and president of Sheltering the Unsheltered Inc., said her organization works directly with people living on the street and argued that “Affordable housing is more than shelter. It’s dignity, opportunity, and hope.” Judy Barzilay, from St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Brandon, recounted cases from her congregation — including families living in cars and older mobile-home residents struggling with sharply increased lot rents — and urged the board to maintain the HOPE fund at the budgeted level. Barb Teppke, speaking for her congregation at St. Paul Lutheran, referenced a 2019 University of Florida Schimberg Center report on wages and rent that she said shows need has not decreased.

Several speakers asked that the county consider restoring the full $10 million HOPE receives in some years. The chair told speakers the board had previously determined the level of funding in this year’s budget and that the amount would not change at the hearing; commissioners later confirmed during budget remarks that $2,000,000 would remain in the FY2026 budget as a matching fund.

No formal vote or amendment on HOPE funding was taken during the public comment period; the budget was adopted by the board later in the hearing as presented by staff.