The TEMPO: "Heaven on Earth" for new residents

From left: Jesse Leon, Florida Housing Finance; Eileen Pope, Bank of America CDC; Jerome Ryan, President CEO Tampa Housing Authority; Bob Buckhorn Tampa Mayor; Alesia Scott-Ford, HUD Field Office Director; Susan Johnson-Velez, Chairwoman of Board of Commissioners Tampa Housing Authority; residents. The TEMPO at Encore!, Tampa.

The Tampa Housing Authority recently held a ribbon cutting Ceremony to celebrate with a centenar attendees the Grand Opening of the TEMPO at Encore! (https://encoretampa.com/) The mixed-use, mixed-income, 203-unit apartment development contains one to four bedrooms floor plans. Among its amenities are a pool, lounge, clubhouse, fitness center, internet café, computer room, chapel, library, and retail space.

The TEMPO is part of Encore!, a 40-acre redevelopment community north of downtown Tampa that also includes the Ella, The Trio and The Reed. Residents easily express their love for the overall Encore! community, named in honor of the musical history of Tampa's Central Avenue. Resident Winifred Crecy, referred to her new apartment at TEMPO as "Heaven on Earth." Crecy described her prior living conditions as horrific with crime, drugs, and violence. The brand-new quiet building restored her peace and put a smile on her face.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn echoed the residents' sentiments by stating how pleased he was with the partners that made the development possible. "Properties like the TEMPO change the future of the residents and give them hope," said Buckhorn. Funding partners for this development included HUD, City of Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida Housing Finance Corporation and Bank of America Community Development Corporation.

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