TGH, USF and community leaders break ground for construction of "The Linden," a 170-home community for TGH and USF Health workforce.

TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tampa General Hospital (TGH), along with their development partner, The Michaels Organization (TMO), will construct an apartment complex in Brandon to offer TGH and USF Health team members affordable housing options. John Couris, president and CEO of Florida Health Sciences Center | Tampa General, and Mick Flanagan, chief investment officer at The Michaels Organization, were joined by Commissioners Gwen Myers and Chris Boles to break ground on property at 9804 Delaney Creek Boulevard in Brandon, marking the official start of construction on a project that aims to help team members access affordable housing within a reasonable distance of their workplace.

The Linden will offer 170 apartment homes to team members of Tampa General and USF Health earning between 80% and 120% of the area median income.  Spacious, energy-efficient apartment homes will be available in one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Amenities include a pool, playground, garden and dog park, as well as gathering spaces where residents can enjoy time with their families and neighbors.  

"When we care for our team, they are better prepared to care for the patients we serve," said Couris. "We saw the rising cost of housing as a challenge for our team members, and it is not only impacting their bottom line, but also their quality of life. While TGH cannot solve the housing challenges alone, we are making strides through meaningful partnerships, ones that have enabled us to develop the Linden. With the Linden, we're offering a housing option that is both accessible and affordable. We're hopeful this new community will not only ease the financial burden but also support a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle for our teams, continue to strengthen our workforce and support the long-term future of TGH and USF Health."

The project was born as the nation's housing crisis drove the cost of homeownership and rent out of reach for many Floridians. Global inflation has also increased the cost of everyday essentials. Tampa General proposed a workforce housing project on the property it already owned at Delaney Creek Boulevard. The state of Florida contributed $12.5 million to support construction, and Hillsborough County committed to contribute $2 million over a four-year span.

"Housing was an issue then, and is still an issue today," said Myers, when speaking about her career in county government. "People cannot afford to find a home. We are going to change that."

"Today, we are celebrating a partnership that is really going to make a difference in people's lives, not just today, but in their lifelong pursuit of chasing the American Dream. We talk a lot about affordable housing and the challenges facing working families. Today is more than just talking about a problem, it's about putting a solution into the ground," said Boles. 

The Linden sits one mile from TGH's Brandon Emergency Center. A free shuttle will run between The Linden and Tampa General's main campus on Davis Islands and the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in downtown Tampa. Families will also benefit from a 5,000-square-foot childcare facility on site, operated by O2B Kids.

"The Linden is a direct answer to the expressed needs of our team members," said Qualenta Kivett, executive vice president and chief people and talent officer at Tampa General. "Access to affordable housing and childcare within the confines of a manageable commute are barriers for many of our team members and this community is one more way we are working to help remove those barriers for the people who care for our community every day. We choose to continue to invest in our people so they can focus on caring for our community."

Tampa General is working with The Michaels Organization, a leader in affordable military and workforce housing around the country for more than five decades, to develop affordable living options for the teams and families that support Tampa General and USF Health.

"The Michaels Organization applauds the leadership of Tampa General Hospital who recognized that their workforce deserves high quality, beautifully designed housing close to their jobs," said Michael (Mick) Flanagan, Michaels' chief investment Officer. "We are proud to be their partner on this innovative solution to their attainable housing needs."

The development team includes Urban Practice, serving as the architect. Michaels will provide asset and property management services, ensuring The Linden remains a neighborhood asset for years to come.

The Linden is expected to open in late summer 2028. Interested parties can download renderings here: https://tgh.sharefile.com/public/share/web-s5513a1614b7c44b6a6cb7b7139aa8834.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, Florida's premier academic health system, is a 1,530-bed not-for-profit network of hospital and outpatient services spanning Florida. As the only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care center serving 23 counties, Tampa General delivers world-class care. The system's hospitals include Tampa General Hospital, Tampa General Rehabilitation Hospital, Tampa General Behavioral Health Hospital, all in Tampa; Tampa General Brooksville, Tampa General Spring Hill and Tampa General Crystal River. Tampa General is the highest-ranked hospital in Tampa Bay in U.S. News & World Report's 2026-2027 Best Hospitals for 11 consecutive years, with five medical specialties ranking among the top 50, two additional medical specialties ranked among the top 100 best hospital programs and two specialties ranked in the top 10% in the United States. As the first hospital in Florida to open a clinical command center for real-time situational awareness, the academic health system has elevated its digital care coordination center to the next level by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and its analytics platform across inpatient and outpatient care to ensure patients receive leading-edge care as quickly and safely as possible. Tampa General's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by four prestigious Forbes magazine rankings — in the 2026 America's Best Large Employers ranked as the Tampa Bay region's #1 employer in the healthcare category for the sixth year in a row, the 2026 America's Best Employers for Company Culture, in the top 100 for the 2026 American's Best Employers for New Grads and the 2026 America's Best Employers for Women.

Tampa General is the area's safety-net hospital, caring for anyone regardless of ability to pay; in fiscal year 2024, Tampa General provided a net community benefit of approximately $289.1 million in the form of healthcare for underinsured patients, community education and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is recognized as one of the leading adult solid organ transplant centers in the nation and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General transports critically injured or ill patients from surrounding counties to receive the advanced care their conditions require. Tampa General has a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General's footprint includes TGH North, which consists of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties; Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices; TGH Family Care Center Kennedy; TGH outpatient centers; TGH Virtual Health; and TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care, powered by the Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org). For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

Media Contact: Amanda Bevis
(202) 680-9262
amanda@redhillsfl.com

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SOURCE Tampa General Hospital