Pinellas County, the most densely populated county in Florida, spans Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tarpon Springs — each served by its own local housing authority, with two DCF service centers covering the north and south of the county.
Assistance available in Pinellas County
🛒 SNAP Food Stamps
SNAP provides monthly food benefits on an EBT card. Florida households generally qualify with gross income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, with deductions for housing, child care, and medical costs for elderly or disabled household members reducing countable income further.
Pinellas County applicants apply through ACCESS Florida online, by mail, or in person at the North Pinellas Service Center in Largo, with a second location (South Pinellas Service Center) in St. Petersburg.
🩺 Medicaid
Florida Medicaid income limits vary sharply by category — children and pregnant women qualify at higher income levels than parents or other adults, since Florida has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Seniors and people with disabilities may qualify through separate long-term care pathways with different rules.
Pinellas County Medicaid applications are processed through the North Pinellas Service Center, or online via ACCESS Florida.
🏠 Housing Assistance
Pinellas County has multiple housing agencies: the Pinellas County Housing Authority (11479 Ulmerton Road, Largo), the Housing Authority of the City of St. Petersburg (2001 Gandy Boulevard North), the Clearwater Housing Authority (28050 US Hwy 19 N), and the Tarpon Springs Housing Authority (500 S Walton Avenue).
Waitlists for Section 8 vouchers commonly close for extended periods due to high demand. Check directly with the housing authority for current waitlist status before assuming a program is unavailable.
💵 Cash Assistance (TCA)
Temporary Cash Assistance provides monthly payments to families with children under 18 (or under 19 if a full-time high school student). Households must have countable assets at or below $2,000, and adults face a lifetime limit of 48 months of benefits with work or job-training requirements unless exempt.
Pinellas County TCA applications go through the North Pinellas Service Center and the ACCESS Florida system, same as SNAP and Medicaid.
Pinellas County contact information
North Pinellas Service Center (Mary Grizzle Building)
11351 Ulmerton Road, Suite 130, Largo, FL 33778
Pinellas County has two centers: North Pinellas in Largo and South Pinellas at 525 Mirror Lake Drive, St. Petersburg.
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (call ahead to confirm)
Statewide Contact Numbers
ACCESS Customer Call Center: 1-850-300-4323
General DCF/SNAP helpline: 1-866-762-2237
Elder & disability long-term care (Medicaid): 1-800-963-5337
Florida Relay (deaf/hard of hearing): 711
How to apply for benefits in Pinellas County
- Create an ACCESS Florida account at myflorida.com/accessflorida to apply for SNAP, Medicaid, or Temporary Cash Assistance online.
- Gather documents — photo ID, proof of income (pay stubs or benefit letters), proof of residency, and Social Security numbers for household members.
- Complete the interview — most applications include a phone interview with a DCF caseworker serving Pinellas County.
- For housing assistance, contact Pinellas County Housing Authority directly — this is a separate application from ACCESS Florida.
- Watch for your decision and renewal notices — most certification periods last 6–12 months, and DCF mails a renewal reminder before they expire.