St. Pete City Council District 2 candidate Courtney Bermudez says her campaign is rooted in lived experience, as she struggled to afford housing in the district where she worked, as well as serving as an EMT and seeing firsthand where public systems fall short.
Bermudez is challenging for the seat now held by term-limited Councilmember Brandi Gabbard, in a race that also includes candidate Gabriel Hament.
Asked what policy she would prioritize in her first year, Bermudez pointed to two issues she says are inseparable in District 2: stormwater infrastructure and affordable housing.
“We know District 2 will flood again if we get hit,” Bermudez said, referencing lessons from the recent hurricane season in 2024. but she also argued the city has fallen short in how it approaches affordability, particularly with housing agreements that can expire over time.
“The big miss I see is affordable housing is a short-term thing,” Bermudez said. “I want to put in development contracts that affordable housing is in perpetuity so they are not pushing out the people who live here.”
Bermudez says she wants longtime residents in place as redevelopment reshapes parts of the district.
On lowering costs for residents, Bermudez tied affordability not only to housing, but wages. She said the city should work more intentionally with major employers to ensure workers can afford to live in the communities they serve, something she was unable to do when she worked at Fidelity Information Services (FIS), a financial information services company, for five years.
Being unable to live District 2 (where FIS is located) was wake up call she said would inform her push for stronger connections between economic development and cost-of-living concerns.
Her public safety perspective is also shaped by years in emergency response. Bermudez said her experience as an EMT, and training toward the fire service dating back to high school, gives her a practical understanding of preparedness and response, particularly after the storms of 2024.
“We have a duty to the people we serve as public servants to make sure we live in safe communities to handle the kind of things that happened in 2024 hurricane season,” Bermudez added.
That background, she stated, gives her a “unique view of where the holes are” in public safety systems.
Asked what issue she would pursue even if politically unpopular, Bermudez cast herself as a candidate focused less on politics and more on governance.
“Once I go into City Hall it’s not about me, it’s about what’s best for the community,” she said. “The decisions I make are what will be best for St. Pete and District 2. … Whether or not it’s popular, I’ll do what needs to be done.”