Latest news with #SarahCombs
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Construction continues on University Area park to install artificial turf on sports field
The Brief This week, work to install artificial turf continues at the sports field at Harvest Hope Park in the University Area of Tampa. Community leaders said because this sports field was used so much by so many teams, the grass was reduced to dirt, and the field needed repairs. The new turf is made possible by federal funding awarded to the community through a Hillsborough County grant. TAMPA, Fla. - Construction continues at Harvest Hope Park in the University Area of Tampa as crews work to install artificial turf on the sports field. "We have so many sports leagues that run this to the ground so hard that we needed a field that would be able to last for all the different sports programs," Dr. Sarah Combs, the CEO of the University Area CDC, told FOX 13. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube Dig deeper This field is used by soccer, football and girls' flag football teams. Due to heavy usage, Combs said the grass was reduced to dirt, so significant upgrades were needed. Thanks to federal funding awarded through a Hillsborough County grant, this new turf should be done in the next month, so sports can resume at Harvest Hope Park. "[The field] was used so much that we had another problem, which was trying to figure out how to get more use on it," Combs added. "Putting in a turf field will actually solve a lot of those problems and challenges. And, it is very low maintenance, so we're excited about that as well." Why you should care Located near USF, more than 30% of residents in the University Area neighborhood live in poverty, according to recent census data. Community leaders told FOX 13 they believe the park and all its amenities have become an asset to the neighborhood. READ: Man who tried to kill ex-girlfriend & killed her dog headed to prison Meanwhile, residents have described this park – which includes a playground, splash pad, community garden, and soon, a turf field – as an oasis. "This was one of the highest crime statistic tracks in the community. After we acquired it and spoke with the community about what they wanted to build, we thought they wanted to build housing, and they said, no, we want a park," Combs said. "And so, after we opened the park, crime reduced by 65%. So that just talks to you about how important community development is." The Source FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia gathered information from University Area CDC officials, past FOX 13 News reporting, and U.S. Census Bureau data. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Axios
21-02-2025
- Climate
- Axios
University Area still mired in long recovery from Hurricane Milton
Four months after Hurricane Milton flooded the University Area, some locals have been displaced, others remain in mold-ridden apartments and most still lack basic necessities as recovery efforts drag on. Why it matters: For many in Hillsborough, the crisis ended when the skies cleared — but in the University Area, it's far from over. Catch up quick: University Area, a neighborhood named for its closeness to the University of South Florida, is designated as flood zone X. That means it faces a 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year. Milton defied those odds. Floodwaters overtook Fowler Avenue, which Mayor Jane Castor dubbed " Lake Fowler." Hundreds of properties sustained damage, leaving residents — 89% of whom rent — dependent on landlords for repairs. Some owners have deemed the losses too great to fix. The big picture: Before the crisis, affordable housing was already scarce, but now, per the nonprofit University Area Community Development Corporation (UACDC), it is almost nonexistent. Floodwaters and wind gusts caused extensive damage to homes, tree branches pierced roofs and mold spores developed after severe water damage. Many residents had no choice but to leave. "We lost at least 15% of our community," says Sarah Combs, CEO of UACDC. "And we think that number is only going to rise." Between the lines: The Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners has, for years now, axed funds and programs designed to encourage affordable housing development. Last year, the board cut a program that, for three decades, made building affordable houses cheaper. Experts told Axios then that doing so would result in fewer homes for those in need. And after Milton, the board relied on an affordable housing fund it has repeatedly gutted to help those the storm displaced. State of play: The UACDC cleared debris and restored landscaping at eight properties and three homes in Milton's aftermath, in addition to serving over 10,000 individuals hot meals. Hillsborough County and Tampa launched an investigation into what caused the historic floods. The city also approved $3.2 million to provide grants of up to $20,000 for households affected by Milton. The UACDC, Hillsborough County and USF secured a nearly $15 million federal grant to, in part, improve stormwater systems in the University Area to reduce flooding. The bottom line: "It's taken a long time for us to recover," says Combs of the UACDC. "We're still not out of it yet."
