TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa City Council is scheduled to take a critical vote Thursday that could determine the future of the South Howard Flood Relief Project.
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Tampa city flood vote
What we know:
The project has been in the works for about 18 months. Council members are expected to decide whether to move forward with a plan that would replace the century-old drainage system beneath South Howard Avenue.
The city is seeking to lock in a maximum construction cost of nearly $93 million. Including design costs, the total project is expected to reach about $100 million.
The drainage system has contributed to decades of flooding in the surrounding neighborhoods.
The problem reached a peak during the 2024 hurricane season, when about 300 homes in Parkland Estates and Palma Ceia Pines were damaged or destroyed.
South Howard project details
What we don’t know:
City officials have not specified an exact start date for construction if council members vote to move forward Thursday. It is also unclear whether the city will offer financial assistance or mitigation programs for local businesses affected by the multiyear road closures.
Howard Avenue business impact
The other side:
While homeowners and other flood victims are pushing for the project to move forward, businesses along the South Howard corridor are urging council members to vote against it.
The project would require South Howard Avenue to be closed in sections for an estimated three to four years.
Business owners say those closures could force businesses to shut down and result in more than 1,100 people losing their jobs.
Tampa flood safety debate
What they’re saying:
Supporters of the project held a news conference Wednesday to emphasize the health and safety concerns caused by ongoing flooding.
Luis Calvo, an employee at Pediatric Epilepsy & Neurology Specialists, said flooding can create serious problems for patients trying to access the health clinic.
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“Yes, it’s going to cost money. We know this. But can you really put a price on the children’s health and the patient’s health? You can’t,” Calvo said.
Calvo, a certified public accountant, said the city can calculate the financial costs associated with the project and repeated flooding, but argued that health concerns cannot be measured the same way.
“We cannot put a price on health,” he said. “Not going through with this project will put lives at stake, put children’s lives at stake.”
Maegen Peek Luka, a Palma Ceia Pines resident, said she believes the debate has unfairly divided flood victims and South Howard businesses.
“It’s disappointing that this project has pitted flood victims against the South Howard businesses,” Peek Luka said.
She said businesses along South Howard are important, but argued that residents, businesses and a church in the surrounding neighborhoods also continue to deal with flooding.
“Safety should not be a fight,” she said.
South Howard drainage plans
What’s next:
The city’s mobility director says experts reviewed at least a dozen potential alternatives before selecting the current proposal as the most effective and cost-efficient option.
Council members are scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to move forward with the project and establish the maximum construction cost.
Dozens of people on both sides of the issue are expected to speak during the meeting.
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