Local lawmakers support bill to add grocery stores in food insecure areas [Video]

HB89 would make it easier to put small footprint grocery stores in food insecure neighborhoods by cutting through red tape like land development regulations.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For years, neighbors in parts of south St. Petersburg have gone without a main grocery store in their community. But now, lawmakers are hoping to use their power to eliminate these so-called “food deserts.”

What used to be a parking lot of a grocery store is now a caravan of cars waiting for a free box of food from Positive Impact Ministries.

There’s still signs from the last grocery store that was here, but Tangerine Plaza has been vacant for more than five years. Neighbors like Linda Craig say they have to travel several miles just to get their groceries.

“We either go into South Pasadena or all the way into south St. Pete or otherwise. So, this is quite a pleasure here today,” Craig …

Tags Community Building And Management, Community Development, Community Development Best Practices, Managing Community