Photo Courtesy of the University of South Florida College of Art, Design and Performance
By Matthew McGovern
Taryn Sabia, the assistant dean of research at the University of South Florida’s College of Art, Design and Performance, announced her candidacy for Tampa mayor on March 2.
Since coming to USF in 2014, Sabia has taught graduate-level courses focused on urban design policy, climate change, sustainability, urban transportation systems and more.
Sabia is the co-founder of Urban Charette — an organization that focuses on educating community leaders on innovative community planning and design.
Founded in 2007, Urban Charette have hosted numerous workshops and community events to that end.
Sabia also worked as a fellow with the Rhode Island State Senate, advising on policies pertinent to urban planning and design.
Shortly after announcing her candidacy, Sabia went on air with Creative Loafing’s Ray Roa, stating how her expertise can help address current residents’ grievances with Tampa’s rapid urban development.
“To be able to work with and have a balance with development — buildings and older developments age out, and those things do have to be replaced,” Sabia said. “Being able to understand what good development or re-development looks like and be able to plan and get out in front of it is an important factor for all of our communities.”
Tampa is currently home to 79 buildings and districts that are part of the National Register of Historic Places.
Sabia stressed the importance of involving community members in her prospective decision-making processes as mayor, stating that it is important to “provide for the people that are here now.”
Sabia joins an increasingly crowded race in Tampa’s 2027 mayoral race, which now includes Ryan J. Edwards, Anthony Gilbert Jr., Alan Jared Henderson, Lynn Hurtak, Julie Magill, Tres L. Rodmon, Reginald B. Strachan and former mayor Bob Buckhorn.
Many candidates have gone on record stating that they aim to tackle Tampa’s affordability issues as well as expanding public transportation services, much like Sabia.
Sabia’s campaign is centered around addressing Tampa’s rise in housing costs through implementing thoughtful urban planning strategies to expand Tampa’s public transportation system, including HART bus lines and TECO streetcars.
Sabia and her team have established that in order to address Tampa’s needs, they will implement thoughtful urban planning strategies and apply her professional experience in the field to improve life in the city.
