Overall, the entire city's population climbed from 238,629 in 1990 to 248,232 in 2000. That is an increase of fewer than 10,000 people, or a 4 percent rise in overall population. Several chunks of St. Petersburg lost population, but the Challenge area's drop is notable because it was targeted for special attention after the 1996 civil disturbances. Former mayor David Fischer's plan emphasized improving housing, creating jobs, raising educational levels and reducing crime. Still in place, the program aims at neighborhoods between Central and 30th Avenue S, between Fourth and 34th streets.
Minorities make up much of the population.
Several reasons may be behind the migration from the Challenge area, where the population dropped from about 25,000 to about 21,000, say officials, neighborhood leaders and Realtors. Demolition began in 1999 and many displaced residents moved to privately owned apartments or houses under a subsidized housing program called Section 8. Situated between Interstate 275 and 15th Avenue S, between 22nd and 34th streets S, the neighborhood also is home to the Wildwood recreational complex. Wildwood is in the midst of a rebuilding project that required taking some houses and moving families elsewhere. A few blocks east, Laurel Park was bulldozed in 1990 to create parking for what was then called the Florida Suncoast Dome, now Tropicana Field.