More families are showing up at the Homeless Empowerment Program's Clearwater campus than at any point in the nonprofit's 40-year history, according to CEO Ashley Lowery. A building that houses eight of them is getting a full renovation.

Lowery, president and CEO of HEP, said high rents and rising living costs are pushing families into crisis at a pace the organization has never seen.

"We have a lot of families that are sleeping in their vehicles that are showering at gas stations who really need more of a sense of stability and a safe place to land while they get everything in order," Lowery told Tampa Bay 28 on Monday.

The family transition home under renovation is one of several buildings on HEP's eight-acre campus. Once the work is finished, the home will again serve up to eight families. Across the full campus, HEP can house up to 23 families at a time.

A project manager told Tampa Bay 28 the renovation is expected to be completed by September.

Rents outpacing incomes drive families into crisis

Lowery pointed to a county report that puts the problem in sharp numbers. According to Pinellas County's 2025 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, 54% of Clearwater renters are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of household income on housing. The same report pegged median monthly rent in Clearwater at $2,120 as of 2024.

Lowery said families are choosing between groceries and rent, and that the pressure is forcing them into impossible decisions.

Volunteers pitch in on the renovation work

Rick Vaughn, a HEP volunteer working on the renovation, said the motivation is simple: "Everybody has one goal. I just want to help people that need help."

In 2024, HEP reported serving 848 individuals, including 82 families, 182 children and 343 veterans. The nonprofit's dining hall served more than 41,000 meals that year. Eighty-three percent of families who exited HEP's emergency housing moved into permanent housing, according to the organization's program data.

City block grants help cover the project's cost

HEP is a city of Clearwater Community Development Block Grant subrecipient for both the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 fiscal years. Pinellas County's December performance report lists a "Family Shelter Rehabilitation" project at HEP as underway, though it is not confirmed whether that activity covers the renovation announced this month.

Coming up in Clearwater

• September: HEP family transition home renovation expected to be complete.
• HEP's long-term housing expansion: details pending. The Clearwater Sentinel will follow up when the organization announces specifics.