Over 200 residents, approximately 83% from South St. Petersburg, applied to Daystar Life’s monthly rental assistance program in 25 hours.
St. Petersburg residents have recently flooded Daystar Life with requests for rental assistance, forcing the community-based nonprofit to close its monthly application portal one day after it opened.
Daystar typically accepts rental assistance applications between the 5th and 14th of each month. Executive director Heide Cornell said that in January, the organization received 800 requests in just five days.
That influx prompted Daystar to only accept applications from 9 a.m. on Feb. 9 until 5 p.m. on Feb. 11. However, the nonprofit informed community partners that the portal had closed by 10:15 a.m. on Feb. 10 after over 200 people requested assistance.
“We are a small organization, and the recent demand has stretched our capacity to properly review and approve that volume in a timely fashion,” Cornell said. “We would rather have a significant impact on our participants than a higher number of cases to manage.”
Cornell said it is typically rare for Daystar to close the application portal early. She also noted that the nonprofit forgoes a “cookie-cutter approach” and strives to provide each household with “nuanced assistance” that meets specific needs.
Daystar is one of six or seven local organizations that provide rental assistance, Cornell said, and covering up to 75% of the monthly payment has fueled the program’s popularity. She also stressed that it has “very specific criteria for qualification.”
Heide Cornell, executive director of Daystar Life.
Cornell said the local need for assistance has gradually increased since 2021, when the supply of attainable housing failed to keep pace with pandemic-era migration. She also blamed the continued rise in living costs, stagnant wages, and the 2024 hurricane season – some displaced residents are still paying rent and a mortgage – for the ongoing issue.
“October’s government shutdown has some lasting effects for those who were already struggling,” Cornell added. “I am sure there are those who will claim politics and tariffs are part of the reason, and that may very well be true, but we do not have enough data at Daystar to point specifically to that.”
The nonprofit does have the data to show that South St. Petersburg neighborhoods are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis. While Cornell said it “feels redundant,” the 33705, 33712, and 33711 zip codes continue to “remain the lowest income areas and experience chronic and generational poverty.”
Those neighborhoods represent approximately 83% of program participants. In addition, 50% of clients identify as Black.
However, the number of program participants who identify as white or non-Hispanic has increased to 47%. Cornell said 65% – a 10% jump since 2023 – are over the age of 60, “which is concerning.”
“We are definitely keeping a close eye on this demographic, and looking at intentional partners to help us better serve that population,” she continued.
According to the real estate platform Zillow, the average monthly rent in St. Petersburg is $2,149. Seniors typically rely on fixed incomes that are well below the median of $73,000 for a one-person household.
Cornell said Daystar lost some federal funding from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in the spring of 2025. While the nonprofit manages its budget with a “healthy portfolio” of community support and fundraising campaigns, last year’s budget cuts have strained resources.
Community partners who were more affected by federal funding losses have reduced or closed programs, Cornell said, and Daystar “took on that additional volume.” The organization has seen a roughly 15% increase in demand over the past 18 months.
“Daystar cannot exist without the time, talent, and treasure found within our community,” Cornell said. “We always welcome new partnerships, donations of food and gently used clothing, and we have an extensive menu of volunteer opportunities, as well.”
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