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Welcome to the Lealman Voice, your ultimate guide to everything happening in our vibrant neighborhood! We're dedicated to highlighting the heartbeat of our community by sharing upcoming events, the latest news, and stories that matter most to you. Whether it's a local gathering, community initiative, or notable achievement, we want to hear from you. Let's celebrate the spirit of Lealman together and keep our neighborhood thriving. Share your news with us, and let's continue to make your voices heard!

Pinellas County breaks ground on $10M park renovation

Via St. Pete Catalyst

Pinellas County administration held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday morning for the highly anticipated Raymond H. Neri Community Park Improvements Project, in the unincorporated Lealman area. 

The $10.2 million project aims to transform the community park into a state-of-the-art recreational facility for residents. Planned enhancements include a larger children’s playground, adult fitness course, small and large dog park, covered pavilion, open playfield, new landscaping, parking areas and new and resurfaced trails.

Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice and Pinellas County Director of Parks and Conservation Resources Paul Cozzie delivered brief remarks before participating in the ceremonial groundbreaking at the park, located at 5175 45th St. N. in St. Petersburg.

“On my way to work every day, I pass two community centers and three or four nice city and county parks. We don’t really have that kind of same quality park in Lealman,” Justice said. “Growing up, [I went to] those county parks for birthday parties, family events […] To have that opportunity for the folks in Lealman is just about quality of life.”

Funding for the project comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, Penny for Pinellas and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The park first opened in 2005 on 38 acres. Pinellas County has hired Gibbs & Register to construct the park.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, both Justice and Cozzie mentioned that the idea of turning the once-empty land into a rich community resource has been in the works for decades. They told stories of interactions with Raymond H. Neri, the late community leader and advocate for the Lealman area for whom the park is named.

“Ray would occasionally call me up and say, ‘I need you to come out here. There’s an issue I want to talk to you about,’” Cozzie recounted. “He would say, ‘This is a real big deal for the Lealman community.’ So this project has been in the works for almost two decades.”

The Raymond H. Neri Community Park Improvements Project is part of Pinellas County’s broader efforts to revitalize the Lealman area, an unincorporated part of the county that has struggled for decades with poverty and neglect. Other initiatives include establishing the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) to reinvest local tax revenue, bringing new resources and programming to the Lealman Exchange community center and the future Joe’s Creek Restoration and Greenway Trail project.

“The Lealman community needed more. We’re seeing a lot of younger families moving into the area [and] a lot of people investing in their homes,” Cozzie said. “This really will be what we consider a community park: a centerpiece for the community to come out, bring their families and enjoy the outdoors.”

Revitalizing the park will also provide additional programming opportunities for the organizations that serve the area, such as the Lealman and Asian Neighborhood Family Center and the Pinellas Sheriff’s Police Athletic League (PAL). 

“There are going to be youth activities, opportunities for sports and programs like that. It’s a great, great progress for the people here,” Justice said. “It’s going to be really special.”

Construction is expected to be completed by early 2025.

Homeownership navigation to be simplified at June expo

Amidst the turbulent tides of St. Petersburg’s housing market, the HOPE (Home Ownership for People Everywhere) Expo is hoping to cast a wider net with this year’s event.

Since it started in 1991, the HOPE Expo has had a mission of empowering aspiring homebuyers to navigate the challenging landscape with confidence. Scheduled for June 8 at Raymond James Bank in Carillon Park, the free expo brings industry experts, educational resources and networking opportunities together under one roof.

“During the [homebuying] process, you need realtors, you need lenders, you need home inspectors and a title company. A lot of first-time homebuyers, they have no idea what they’re getting into,” said Karmen Lemberg, Director of Homeownership Programs and Operations for the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County, and HOPE Expo committee co-chair. “We’ve looped in other nonprofits, lenders, title companies and other people who were of a like mind, wanting to help citizens get into their first home, understand the process and understand the programs that are out there.”

One of the highlights of the HOPE Expo is the free Homebuyer Workshop. The all-day workshop gives a comprehensive overview of the home-buying process, from understanding credit scores to securing financing and navigating the legal aspects of purchasing a home. Lemberg said it’s also a way to help potential buyers understand county and city-specific programs, which can often be combined to help buyers in the competitive Tampa Bay housing market.

“Especially in this market, it is hard. Everybody says, ‘Well, it’s just no help, I make too much money. The houses are too expensive,’ but we are showing them there is help, there are programs. The income limits have gone up and you can layer some of these programs,” Lemberg said.

The St. Petersburg City Council recently approved increasing down payment assistance from $60,000 to $75,000 in the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), part of its “Housing Opportunities for All” initiative. According to a recent update, nearly 170 residents have received funding and another 956 have completed required homeowner education classes.

As leaders in our area work to create more homeownership opportunities, the HOPE Expo committee is aiming to reach new segments of the local population by offering the headlining Homebuyer Workshop in English or Spanish. The goal is to connect with Spanish speakers in their native language, helping them feel comfortable and better understand what can be a complicated process.

“Just think how you would feel if you were trying to buy a home and nobody you dealt with spoke English,” Lemberg said. “It’s hard enough buying a home when you do understand the people speaking the language; when you don’t understand the language, it’s virtually impossible.

“We’ve been working hard to build trust in the community and help people understand that there are programs here to help them own homes. We want to put a path in front of them to follow that can help them leave a legacy.” 

Lemberg said about 100 people have registered for the English version and about 30 have registered for the Spanish workshop, but she’s hoping those numbers continue to go up.

“It makes for stronger communities when you have ownership versus renting. It gives people a stable foundation to build on,” Lemberg said. “Especially when you’re talking about children; making sure they’re stable at home helps them be more stable at school. You can see this go throughout all aspects of their lives. The more stable you make the base, they better they can do as they go out into life and move forward.”

In addition to providing education and guidance, those who complete the Home Ownership Workshop will receive a certificate after the event, which helps satisfy the education requirements for a variety of affordable housing loans and down payment assistance programs in the area. Lemberg said this helps families kick-start the home-buying process.

“The certificate is good for two years, so if they’re not ready right now or in the next six months to purchase a home, they have that two years to get ready and to purchase.”

The HOPE Expo is free and open to the public. Those who plan to attend must register online in advance on the HOPE Expo website, hopeexpo.org.

Lealman’s Agricultural Roots

Via The Gabber

The History of Lealman’s Main Street

Drivers along 54th Avenue North who cross the railroad tracks by Lealman Fire Rescue Station No. 18 may notice an angled road that parallels the path of the tracks for a few blocks. Located immediately south of 43rd Street North, a sign denotes this narrow road as “Main Street.”

Although unremarkable in appearance today, this short street once served as a commercial hub of the original Lealman community. Named in honor of pioneer farmer Elza Beasley Lealman, this area flourished as an agricultural settlement before St. Petersburg’s founding.

Shifting Boundaries

Known today as the separate areas of West Lealman and Lealman, these communities existed as a single entity until recently. The earliest pioneers settled in Lealman before any of the adjacent cities — Kenneth City, Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg, and Seminole — existed.

Lealman originally included all of Pinellas Park and Sawgrass Lake, stretched westward through Kenneth City toward Cross Bayou, and into many areas currently within St. Petersburg’s city limits.

Farmer and Sheriff

Elza B. Lealman was born in Georgia, either in 1822 or 1823. His mother also hailed from Georgia. His father Thomas was a carpenter from England. He most likely grew up in Lowndes County, near present-day Valdosta.

Elza moved across the Georgia-Florida state line in the 1840s, marrying Elenar Deis in Hamilton County in 1848. His father joined them. Elza acquired 40 acres of farm land in April 1859 from the land office in Newnansville, in Alachua County. After the Armed Occupation Act of 1842, this office offered acreage to white male citizens of Florida who promised to cultivate at least five acres and serve in a militia to suppress uprisings. These uprisings often came from people whose ancestors had, for millennia, lived on the land now occupied by Euro-Americans like Elza and did not want to surrender their land.

By 1860, the Lealmans had four children.

The family soon moved to Suwannee County. Established in December 1858, this north-central Florida county had 2,303 residents on the eve of the Civil War, more than six times the population that lived along the Pinellas peninsula at that time.

At least 250 white men left Suwannee County to fight for the Confederacy between 1861 and 1865. Elza Lealman stayed at home and became a leader in the new county during this time of turmoil.

Lealman served as sheriff from 1862 until 1864. He also held the office of tax collector for an unknown period of time. In order to remain in public office, he had to pledge his loyalty to the Confederacy. No existing Suwannee County records describe Lealman’s governmental service, or the number of constables or officers who worked with him during the war years.

The Lealmans decided to leave their Suwannee County farmstead. They moved to what was then a sparsely settled area — now the most densely populated county in Florida.

Full Article Via The Gabber

Pinellas County launches new program to streamline access to behavioral health service

Pinellas County on Tuesday launched a new service to make it easier for residents to access behavioral health services. The program, called Care About Me, provides a confidential access line for residents of all ages needing help with mental health, substance use, and addiction services.

"The Pinellas County Commission is proud to support this much-needed service that will help so many individuals and families in our community who are searching for the right behavioral health care," said Pinellas County Commission Chair Kathleen Peters. "Today represents the culmination of years of research, community partnerships, and work with providers to ensure we can improve our community’s overall wellbeing. We want our residents who are struggling to know they are not alone and that help is available through Care About Me."

Care About Me is not a crisis line. Individuals experiencing a mental health emergency should call 911. Those experiencing suicidal thoughts should call the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline. Care About Me helps residents or their family members in non-crisis situations by connecting them with experienced behavioral health specialists who can assess their needs and schedule appointments with local providers.

The County partnered with national technology company Unite Us to provide the infrastructure for connecting residents to verified behavioral health services within the state’s coordinated care network, Unite Florida.

Using the secured platform, Care About Me specialists can send electronic referrals, track care progress, and ensure residents receive timely assistance and follow-up. Specialists are also trained to connect callers with supportive services such as counseling, support groups, educational resources, and referrals to specialized treatment centers and providers.

Individuals wishing to access this service may call 1-888-431-1998 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays and legal holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"In 2019, we underwent an intensive project to evaluate the existing behavioral health system to identify ways to provide more patient-centric services," said Pinellas County Human Services Director Karen Yatchum. "We found a need for a coordinated access model to increase transparency in how clients, families, caregivers, and professionals could access the right services. We are excited for Care About Me to meet this need and truly make a difference in the lives of our residents."

"At Unite Us, we are proud to support Pinellas County in its mission to streamline access to mental health and addiction treatment services," said Megan Ducoff, Senior Vice President of Operations at Unite Us. "Leveraging our technology, verified provider network, and care coordination services, the partnership exemplifies the transformative impact of teamwork in fostering a healthier, more resilient community."

2024 Youth Environmental Leadership Workshops

The 6th annual Youth Environmental Leadership Workshop series has been announced. It will offer high school students hands-on skill-building activities designed to empower them as environmental leaders in their community.

The program, open to students in grades 9 through 12, will provide opportunities to understand marine debris and other environmental issues, engage with experts in the field, and participate in activities such as canoeing, cleanups, hikes, and invasive species removals. Additionally, students can earn Bright Futures Scholarship hours through their participation.

HCA Florida Healthcare employees complete month of service

HCA Florida Healthcare employees from HCA Florida Largo Hospital, Northside Hospital, Pasadena Hospital and St. Petersburg Hospital completed the company's third annual statewide "We Show Up for Our Communities" month of service in April,  providing more than 120 volunteer hours (from 60 colleagues)to volunteer with Keep Pinellas Beautiful. They also donated 30 lbs. of food to the Lealman and Asian Neighborhood Family Center, 197 lbs. of food to Reach St. Petersburg and over 650 meals to Feeding Tampa Bay's Cereal for Summer Program.

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