Taryn Sabia joins increasingly crowded Tampa mayoral race

Taryn Sabia, a local urban designer, educator and community advocate, is running for Tampa Mayor after filing paperwork alongside family and friends.

She’s the ninth candidate to enter the race, with others expected to join.

The Tampa Mayor’s race is not until 2027. Candidates are running to replace incumbent Mayor Jane Castor, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits.

Sabia said she’s running to deliver a fresh, people-first vision to tackle affordability, transportation and neighborhood planning.

“I’m running for Tampa Mayor because I believe Tampa deserves leadership that plans for the future, not just reacts to it,” Sabia said. “The same challenges we talked about 20 years ago are still here, and Tampa can’t afford another decade of the same conversations without solutions. We don’t need the same politicians with the same playbook. We need a new vision.”

While most of the already-filed candidates aren’t well-known, Sabia joined the race just after Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak, who filed in late February. As an elected official, Hurtak will benefit from at least some name ID among voters who have seen her name on a ballot before.

And some other well-known names in Tampa politics are also expected to be added to the fray, including former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who has already raised $1.4 million to a committee supporting his eventual bid.

Tampa City Council member Bill Carlson is also expected to run.

Sabia, while she lacks elected political experience, brings more than 20 years of work in architecture, urban design and community engagement. She currently serves as Assistant Dean for Research at the University of South Florida’s College of Design, Art & Performance, where she teaches and leads work on urban design policy, climate adaptation, transportation systems and citizen involvement.

She has facilitated more than 150 public workshops and advised more than 30 Mayors nationwide on community-driven planning.

Her experience in the transportation and urban planning space could be a strong platform in a city long-plagued by gridlock and abysmal pedestrian and cyclist safety.

But Sabia has her mind on other issues facing Tampa residents as well, including cost of living issues like housing affordability, streamlined permitting to support local businesses, building meaningful transit, improving safety on Tampa streets, and implementing resilient planning that protects neighborhood character while also preparing the city for climate risks.

“These problems are connected,” Sabia said. “And we can solve them with smart planning, collaboration, and leadership that puts people first.”

In addition to her work with USF, Sabia is also the co-founder of Urban Charrette, a Tampa-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering residents to shape their neighborhoods through collaborative design. Through that work, Sabia has planned and facilitated more than 150 public charrettes and workshops.

Sabia is also a mother of two, and she was born legally blind, experiences that have shaped her commitment to inclusivity.

“When we don’t think carefully about who is included, people get left behind,” Sabia added. “Design matters. Planning matters. And Tampa needs leadership that understands how all these issues connect.”