St. Pete's Flood and Sewer Bond Is on the Nov. 3 Ballot

If you own a house in St. Petersburg that nobody is living in right now, maybe one you inherited or a rental between tenants, one item on the November 3 ballot is about the pipes and pumps under your street. Here is what it says, plainly. We are not telling anyone how to vote.

What is on the ballot

The City of St. Petersburg is asking voters to approve a general obligation bond for its water, sewer and flood-protection work. WUSF reported on October 1 that the bond would pay for "floodwater protection, stormwater pump stations, drainage infrastructure, as well as wastewater collection and treatment facilities, drinking water distribution and supply facilities."

The program behind it is called SPAR, short for St. Pete Agile Resilience. The city's own bond page says the question "is expected to appear on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot."

How it would be paid for

The city puts it this way: "If approved, the bond would be repaid through a dedicated property tax millage over time." The city posts its own estimate of what that means per property on the same page. Read it there, next to your own tax bill.

If voters say no, the work does not stop. In the city's words: "Without the bond, the City would continue funding SPAR projects through utility fees on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means the same projects get built, but over a much longer timeline."

How much longer? Claude Tankersley, the city's public works administrator, told WUSF: "At the current rate of investment with our utilities, it would take roughly 24 years to finish those projects using only the utility rates." He added: "After the storms in 2024 to now, the most common comment I hear is, I don't want to wait 24 years."

If you own a St. Pete house you are not living in

• The work is coming either way. The vote decides how fast, and whether it is paid through the property tax bill or through utility fees.
• Both bills land on the owner. While a house sits empty, the tax bill and the city utility and stormwater charges keep coming.
• Nothing on the ballot changes whether you can sell. You can sell before November 3, after it, or not at all.
• The city says it will keep people posted. It plans "clear guides, public dashboards, and yearly public meetings so residents can follow project details, timelines, and costs."

Where we fit

We buy houses in St. Petersburg and across Pinellas County directly from the owner, as-is, on your timeline. A low street, an old sewer line, a storm in the house's history: we look at the house as it stands today. We do not sell our contracts to other investors. We close on the house ourselves. If you want to know what happens after you say yes, here is how it works.

Own a St. Pete house you are not living in? Tell us the address and we will tell you what we can do.