WEST REGION
TOTAL PROJECT $12 million
FCLF NMTC ALLOCATION $12 million Federal NMTC, $4.8 million State NMTC
40,000 square foot facility
133 bed domestic violence shelter + on-site services
50 permanent jobs created or retained
49 temporary jobs created or retained

"Domestic violence is an equal opportunity destroyer. This new facility will help us serve more people and really get them going." – Linda Osmundson, CASA Former Executive Director

Since 1977, CASA – Community Action Stops Abuse – has been active in the Tampa Bay area providing refuge, crisis intervention, advocacy, professional training and community outreach for victims of domestic violence. CASA also offers transitional housing apartments, mental health and addiction counseling, legal assistance, youth education, and other services.

Using the NMTC program, CASA built a new 40,000 square foot facility on a recently acquired non-performing bank owned parcel of land. Located in Pinellas County’s “highest murder rate” neighborhood, the new facility tripled CASA’s current capacity from 30 to 100 beds and serves more than 1,000 clients annually. Space is also provided on-site for daycare and for CASA’s counseling and other services.

The social impact of a project such as the new CASA facility is exponential. Domestic violence victims are often jobless, at risk of homelessness, and suffer from illness and injury which drives up healthcare costs. Providing shelter and counseling for the victims is beneficial not only for the individuals, but for the community as a whole as it increases productivity and lowers related costs. Children’s services will also help to break the generational cycle of family violence.

The total cost for the CASA project is estimated at $12 million. Florida Community Loan Fund (FCLF) provided $12 million in Federal NMTCs and $4.8 million in Florida NMTCs, along with additional state NMTCs from Stonehenge Capital. The investor is US Bancorp Community Development Corporation. This transaction was finalized in May 2014.

Watch the video about FCLF and our work with CASA:

Read more about FCLF & CASA in this success story.
View more photos of CASA on FCLF's Flickr Page.
For more information, visit www.casapinellas.org.

Pictured: vacant land that will soon be the home of the new CASA facility, and groundbreaking held for the new facility.