Brandi Gabbard: Leading a Vision for St. Petersburg’s Future
St. Petersburg is at a crossroads. We can no longer settle for reactionary leadership that waits for a crisis to act. Our city deserves a future defined by bold vision, measurable results, and a clear path forward.
I’m Brandi Gabbard, and I am running for Mayor because I believe City Hall should be as innovative and resilient as the people who live here. For nearly a decade, I have served on your City Council, fighting for the neighborhoods that make our city unique. I have seen firsthand that to lower the cost of living, fix our aging infrastructure, and make housing truly attainable, we need leadership ready to take decisive action.
My Commitment to Accountability
Prioritizing Neighborhoods
Putting the needs of our residents and unique communities ahead of corporate interests.
Streamlining City Services
Modernizing and accelerating the permitting process to save homeowners time and money.
Supporting
Local Innovation
Empowering our small business community and fostering a sustainable economy that keeps current residents in mind.
Modernizing
Infrastructure
Moving beyond temporary fixes to build long-term, resilient solutions for our city’s future.
This is our city. It should work for everyone who calls it home—from our growing families to our longtime residents. It is time to stop talking about progress and start delivering it.
Continue reading to learn more about the specifics of my vision for the city. I look forward to working together to build the St. Pete we all deserve.
Priority:
Energy Independence: Lowering Costs for St. Petersburg Families
Taking Our Power Back
My allegiance is to the people of St. Petersburg, not corporate interests. As your Mayor, I will explore every path toward energy independence and lower rates. Our plan focuses on:- Prioritizing People Over Profits: Challenging the current rate structures that place an undue burden on our households.
- Exploring Localized Power: Learning from successful municipal models to keep utility revenue within our city limits.
- Economic Relief: Directly addressing one of the largest monthly expenses for our families and small businesses to lower the overall cost of living.
Priority:
Food Security: Treating Access as Essential Infrastructure
A Creative Approach to Food Insecurity
We need leadership that views food access as essential infrastructure, just like roads and water. I am committed to hitting this challenge from every angle by:- Expanding Urban Agriculture: Supporting and scaling food production right here in our neighborhoods to create local, sustainable food sources.
- Championing Community-Owned Models: Moving beyond traditional retail by incentivizing and supporting community-owned grocery stores and cooperatives.
- Treating Food as a Right: Integrating food access into our city’s long-term planning and infrastructure priorities.
- Empowering Local Growers: Ensuring our city’s “green economy” includes those who are working to feed their neighbors directly.
Priority:
Building a Resilient St. Petersburg
Proactive Climate Action & Infrastructure Prioritization
True resilience isn’t found in the calm; it is proven in the storm. Having stood with this community through historic weather events and the resulting aftermath, I understand all too well that climate vulnerability is rapidly becoming our newest housing affordability crisis. My administration will move beyond temporary fixes and pilot programs into a new era of performance:- Fast Tracked and Streamlined Permitting: When a storm hits, our residents shouldn’t have to become experts in city code just to get their lives back on track. We will eliminate the red tape that stalls progress, creating a permitting process that rivals the best in the nation so residents can build back stronger and safer.
- Full Implementation of the Resilient St. Pete Action Plan: I will prioritize the Resilient St. Pete Action Plan, a collaborative framework I helped develop with our residents to ensure every neighborhood is equipped for environmental shifts. Our administration will maintain a relentless focus on the Stormwater Master Plan to protect homes and businesses from rising tides and ensure our infrastructure can withstand future stressors. By working closely with subject matter experts, I will prioritize citywide projects that deliver the highest direct impact on property protection and provide the strongest return on investment for our residents.
- No Vehicle Wake Enforcement: Building on the legislative success I led in 2025, we will continue to use collaboration and work across the aisle and with law enforcement and first responders to stop avoidable storm damage to private property. We will use this collaboration as a model to ensure we are addressing resilience across all levels of government.
Building an Economy of the Future
- Climate-Rooted Jobs and Small Business Support: Building an economy of the future requires fostering a resilient workforce that turns our environmental challenges into our greatest local opportunities. By empowering both businesses and residents to drive innovation and embrace better technology, we can secure the resources needed for every neighbor to thrive in every corner of our city. This vision centers on creating high-paying jobs rooted in climate resilience and supporting cooperative business models that keep wealth within our neighborhoods. We must move beyond “business as usual” to champion entrepreneurs and vital trades that provide sustainable, community-driven alternatives, ensuring St. Petersburg leads the way in the resilient industries of tomorrow.
The Heart of a Resilient City
Resilience extends far beyond sea walls and drainage pipes; it is rooted in the collective power of our residents. A truly robust St. Petersburg must be deeply interconnected—prepared to support its own not just when a crisis hits, but during every season of calm.- Proactive Neighborhood Partnerships: We will establish a formal coalition of neighborhood leaders and non-profit organizations. Rather than assembling these systems in the middle of a disaster, we will maintain a pre-established, resident-led resource map to guarantee that assistance reaches every home the moment a storm passes.
- Year-Round Resident Advocacy: This collaborative framework will function as a permanent conduit to municipal resources, providing daily support to our neighbors. By keeping this network active year-round, we ensure our support structures are reliable, vetted, and fully operational long before a disaster hits.
Priority:
An Affordable and Liveable St Pete
- Pioneering Legislative Change: As a Councilmember, I led St. Petersburg in becoming the first city in Florida to implement House Bill 1339. This landmark move allowed us to address zoning barriers and ultimately convert underutilized industrial and commercial land into affordable housing units. This was more than just a policy change; it was a collaborative effort to overcome outdated ways of thinking. By working alongside Pinellas County officials, we looked beyond traditional silos to address the intersection of housing and economic development, creating more cohesive and vibrant communities.
- Housing-First Land Policy: I was successful in championing a City-Owned Land Policy centered on the belief that our public land is a vital, finite resource that must be leveraged for the highest community benefit. When we are developing city property, we cannot simply sell to the highest bidder; instead, we must implement housing-first policies that prioritize the public good over private profit. By dedicating these assets when appropriate to meet our housing needs, we ensure that our land works for our residents, providing the essential foundation needed to tackle the housing crisis head-on.
- Stabilizing Neighborhoods: I have fought for the expansion of Down Payment Assistance and the Rehabilitation Assistance Program. My goal is to ensure that seniors and working families can afford to maintain their homes, build generational wealth, and remain in the city they love.
- Creative Solutions: I was proud to pioneer one of the state’s first Employee Rental Assistance Programs, providing city workers with monthly housing bonuses and financial literacy training to bridge the gap between renting and homeownership.
Moving St. Petersburg Forward
I will continue to think outside the box, work to increase zoning flexibility, and collaborate with housing and homeless organizations to ensure St. Petersburg remains a diverse place for generations to come. My plan for the future includes:- Modernizing the Zoning Code: I will foster redevelopment that everyday people can afford by cutting overburdensome regulations and outdated parking minimums that drive up the cost of living.
- Expanding Housing Options: I support increasing access to “missing middle” housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) while maintaining the unique aesthetics of our neighborhoods.
- Public-Private Partnerships: As Mayor, I will bring the business community to the table to mirror the success of the Employee Assisted Housing Program, encouraging local businesses to invest directly in the stability of their own workforce.
- Strengthening Community Benefits: I will work to enhance the Community Benefits Ordinance to ensure major developments result in living-wage jobs and direct reinvestment into our community infrastructure.
- Protecting Our Artists: To ensure we remain the “City of the Arts” in reality, I am committed to securing affordable live-work spaces so our creators can continue to thrive here.
The Historic Gas Plant District: Leading with Stewardship and Integrity
The Historic Gas Plant District is St. Petersburg’s most valuable remaining asset, a site that carries the weight of history and the promise of our future. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we must meet with integrity, fiscal responsibility, and a deep commitment to future generations who will benefit from this opportunity.
I am committed to asking the tough questions first and prioritizing the needs of our residents over all else. Rather than rushing into a binding agreement that locks our city into a profit-driven vision, I committed to ensuring we do what is right by the residents of this city.
This approach ensures that we:
- Act as Good Stewards of Our Land: In a city where land is increasingly scarce, we must ask the critical question: “Should we even sell the entire 86 acres?” I have been an advocate for a community-based, planning-first approach that moves beyond a one-time sales approach, which could compromise our long-term fiscal health. I propose evaluating alternative models, such as long-term ground leases or dividing the site into manageable parcels, to determine if it is more prudent for the city to retain ownership and control. By designing for generations rather than taking a one-time lump sum, could we guarantee that the true community benefit remains a permanent priority? I believe this may be the most prosperous outcome, but we won’t know until we explore this opportunity. That is what I am committed to fighting for.
- Negotiate from Strength: By establishing a clear, strategic rubric of priorities before selecting a developer from an unsolicited bid process, we ensure the city dictates the terms of development, achieving the best possible outcomes.
- Honor Our History: The Gas Plant community was displaced decades ago with promises that went unfulfilled. We owe it to the descendants of those families and all current residents to ensure this redevelopment finally delivers on that long-standing debt through real economic opportunity and financial empowerment.
Under my leadership, the city will engage in a cohesive, transparent conversation between my administration, the City Council, and the community. Together, we will build a roadmap that transforms this site into a model of sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant urban growth.
Development is permanent; once a contract is signed, it will be too late to change course. I have the courage to press pause, catch our breath, and ensure we get this right. Together, we can embark on this historic project with a focus on stewardship that serves every corner of our city and our collective progress.
Priority:
Building a Unified Front for Public Safety
Keeping our community safe is the most important responsibility of an elected official. My approach to public safety balances unwavering support for our first responders with innovative strategies that make St. Petersburg a national model for modern policing.
A Proven Track Record of Innovation
- The CALL Program: I am proud to have been in office during the creation of the nationally renowned Community and Life Liaison (CALL) program. By diverting mental health and poverty-related calls to specialists, we have reduced unnecessary criminalization while freeing up sworn officers to focus on serious crime.
- Balanced Response: I believe in a system where the right resource is sent to every call, ensuring our police and fire departments can operate at their highest level of effectiveness.
Investing in Our First Responders
- Comprehensive Support: As Mayor, I will ensure our first responders have the appropriate personnel, modern equipment, state of the art facilities, and advanced training necessary to protect our city.
- Recruitment and Retention: To keep the best talent, we must offer competitive pay, excellent benefits, and confidential mental health support.
- Living in the Community: I am committed to providing affordable housing options for our first responders so they have the choice to live in the city they serve and protect.
Accountability and Collaborative Leadership
- Direct Accountability: Real safety starts at the top. I will maintain a direct line of communication with Department Chiefs to ensure their strategies align with our community’s expectations and reflect St. Petersburg’s values.
- Union Partnership: To ensure our frontline heroes are heard and respected, I will work hand-in-hand with our unions to foster a collaborative environment that prioritizes the well-being and professional growth of our staff.
A Culture of Excellence: I will continue to champion a workplace where merit, morale, and mutual respect are the standard, ensuring that every administrative decision is designed to protect our residents and enhance the vital relationship between our officers and the public.
Priority:
Championing Small Business, the Engine of St Pete
Our local businesses are the heartbeat of St. Petersburg. They are the families who sponsor our little league teams, the entrepreneurs who breathe life into our historic districts, and the innovators who keep our local economy running. To lead a city like ours, a Mayor must understand that “business-friendly” isn’t just a slogan, it’s a lived experience.
A Journey Rooted in Real Experience
My commitment to our business community isn’t political, it’s personal. For over two decades, I walked the path of the self-employed entrepreneur. I know what it’s like to build a business from the ground up, to manage the books from your kitchen table, to navigate the stress of making payroll, and to feel the direct impact of governmental policy on your bottom line. I understand the grit it takes to succeed as a business in Florida because I’ve done it.
I’ve also taken that commitment to the community level. Through my active involvement in the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, I have spent years working alongside fellow business owners to advocate for an economy that works for everyone. I don’t just understand the challenges our businesses face—I have been in the room, helping to craft the solutions.
While my roots are in small business, my current role with a large organization has provided me with a different, equally vital perspective. Leading a statewide team has given me a “corporate” vantage point that is important for an executive role. I understand how to scale operations, manage complex multi-layered budgets, and lead diverse teams across vast geographical boundaries. This balance of entrepreneurial agility and corporate discipline is exactly what St. Petersburg needs at City Hall.
My Commitment to You
As your Mayor, I will bridge the gap between our neighborhood storefronts and our regional economic powerhouses. My platform is built on:
- Making City Hall Work For You: Eliminating the bureaucratic “red tape” that stalls growth. We need a government that moves at the speed of business, because we recognize that time costs you money.
- Workforce Stability: Leveraging my experience in business and real estate policy to ensure our employees can actually afford to live in the city where they work.
- Proactive Partnerships: Moving beyond “business as usual” to create deep, cross-sector collaborations that keep wealth in our local neighborhoods.
I have spent my career learning how to bridge gaps and solve complex problems. I am ready to bring that unique blend of business minded perspective and executive leadership to work for every resident of St. Pete.