Tampa Bay Times hosts community Spotlight event on climate change and housing
Back-to-back hurricanes and record heat have exposed the Tampa Bay area's biggest vulnerabilities. Experts say it's just a taste of what's to come in a warming world.
Climate change is expected to bring higher seas, rising temperatures and more extreme weather, threatening homes and neighborhoods across the region.
A Tampa Bay Times community event plans to foster conversation with local leaders about how climate change is already reshaping Tampa Bay neighborhoods, and how it could make them look drastically different from today.
In partnership with the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, the Times will host a free community event titled "Rising Seas, Shifting Neighborhoods: Climate Change's Impact on Tampa Bay Housing."
Times environment reporter Jack Prator will moderate the discussion focused on climate migration, coastal resilience and climate gentrification. Will a changing climate prompt people to abandon once-desirable neighborhoods that now are under threat? And how will that reshape the socioeconomic makeup of communities? A panel of local experts, officials and stakeholders will weigh in.
The forum starts at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 16, at the Palladium in St. Petersburg and features Mack Feldman, vice president of asset management at Feldman Equities; Sam Henderson, adjunct professor of natural sciences at St. Petersburg College; Amber Woods, youth chair of Florida Rising Pinellas County; Rep. Lindsay Cross, representative of District 60 in the Florida House; and Claude Tankersley, public works administrator for the city of St. Petersburg.
From 5-6 p.m., attendees can explore the community resource center featuring booths from local organizations. At 6 p.m., local experts and community leaders will participate in the panel discussion on how climate change is affecting Tampa Bay.
"When wind and water intrude into our homes, they affect more than just structures. The damage uproots families and upends our shared sense of place," said Conan Gallaty, Times CEO and chairman. "This is an important conversation about resilience in what connects us to our neighbors."
Doors open at 5 p.m. The panel discussion, which will include questions from the audience, will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
You can register for the event here .
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The Tampa Bay Times launched the Environment Hub in 2025 to focus on some of Florida's most urgent and enduring challenges. You can contribute through our journalism fund by clicking here .
