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Time To Focus

It started as a dream, one born from watching too many young adults with developmental disabilities age out of programs with nowhere to go. But now, that dream is becoming something real. Project Focus, the team behind Temple Terrace’s Focus Academy, is planning to build a first-of-its-kind campus designed specifically for young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

We’re not just talking about classrooms. This campus will include housing, vocational training, communal spaces, and the kind of support system that doesn’t just prepare people for life, but helps them live it.

Patti Rendon, a longtime educator and Hillsborough School Board member, is part of the team helping guide the project. And architects have already shared renderings for a self-contained but open and welcoming community where residents can learn, work, and thrive.

The goal is to secure 8 to 10 acres ideally near Tampa Heights or the University area, and break ground on Phase One as early as next year. It’s ambitious. It’s necessary. And if Project Focus succeeds, it could reshape how our region and maybe the country supports adults with developmental disabilities.

Because everyone deserves more than just a place to live. They deserve a place to belong.

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🐝 WHAT’S BUZZING AROUND TOWN 🐝

Visionary Voices

Rainy Season, Ready?

While Tampa leaders are holding a series of meetings to address growing flood concerns, residents in Brandon should be paying close attention. The problem isn’t just rising seas or hurricanes, it’s the kind of sudden, heavy rain that can overwhelm storm drains, back up into streets, and turn entire neighborhoods into lakes.

Brandon shares the same rivers and stormwater systems as Tampa. When the city’s infrastructure is stressed, the effects can ripple out fast. And when the water has nowhere to go, it finds the lowest point, sometimes your living room.

The good news? There’s still time to prepare. Brandon residents can protect themselves by checking flood zones, clearing gutters, and making sure sump pumps and drainage paths are working. Elevating electrical components, sealing foundation cracks, and having sandbags on standby can make all the difference. Even if your home isn’t in a traditional flood zone, having flood insurance could be a lifesaver, especially since most standard homeowner policies won’t cover rising water.

And when the storms roll in, don’t wait for someone to come knocking. Stay connected, listen for alerts, and if the roads look sketchy, don’t risk it. Floodwater moves fast and damages even faster.

Tampa may be leading the conversation, but Brandon has just as much at stake. Let’s make sure we’re not caught off guard when the skies open up.

THE BEES KNEES

Not really sure what it means, but we’re sure you’ll find it here.

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A Final Note

The Brandon Buzz, more than news, it’s a lifestyle.

Until next time,

Buzzing Local