Garrett Greco Credit: Jordi Zapata
Tampa voters will see a very familiar name on next year’s city council ballot. Yesterday, Garrett Greco filed paperwork to be the next District 3 councilman.
The 33-year-old joins Candice Cowen, who filed in May, and Quinton F. Robinson, who filed this month, in a race to fill a citywide seat being vacated by Tampa City Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak who is running for mayor.
Tampa’s 2027 municipal election ends on Election Day, March 2, 2027; early voting days have not yet been set. The deadline to register to vote is Feb. 1, 2027.
Greco is a fifth-generation Tampeño (he uses the term “Tampanian”) and the grandson of former Tampa mayor Dick Greco who served nearly two terms from 1967-1973. Grandpa resigned to make more money with the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation, but returned to serve a third and fourth term as mayor of Tampa from 1995-2003.
Garret’s dad, Dick “Dickie” Greco served as a Hillsborough County Circuit Judge, but resigned in 2001 to make more money in private practice—then returned to the bench in 2008. Dad resigned from the courts for good in 2017 and was a late entry in the race for mayor in 2019. He earned just under 9% of the vote in that race, failing to make the runoff eventually won by current mayor Jane Castor.
“I grew up watching people who believe serving your community was a great honor, not just a title,” he said in his announcement video.
While he makes a living as a real estate broker and property investor focused on restoring and improving parcels, Garrett Greco is perhaps best known for hosting the Tampa Bay Developer Podcast, which launched in 2023 and has featured more than 100 guests including developers, transportation advocates, neighborhood leaders, historians, and more.
In his video, Greco—who served as a member of the City of Tampa’s Land Development Code Advisory Team and the City of Tampa’s Charter Review Commission—said that hearing from guests has shown him that how the city grows matters. In a press release, he said that “his campaign will focus on affordability, infrastructure, neighborhood preservation, small business support, and responsible growth.”
“The best public policy begins with listening,” the release added.
Greco isn’t the only District 3 candidate thinking about affordability. Cowen, a mother of cour, says she understands firsthand the importance of safe neighborhoods, economic opportunity, and strong community investment for future generations.
A press release from Cowen, a Jefferson High School graduate, says her campaign’s primary focus is on Tampa’s affordability challenges, transportation, infrastructure, supporting responsible economic development and ensuring residents have a stronger voice in local government.
Cowen serves as the President of the Terrace Park Neighborhood Association, which hosts cleanups for the residential area. Since 2023, Cowen has been working as a Community Development Specialist for the City of Tampa. She is also pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration at the University of South Florida.
She also serves on the City of Tampa Black History Committee, which is a non-profit that promotes Black history, Tampa’s cultural heritage and academic achievement.
“I believe Tampa’s best days are ahead of us if we are willing to invest in our neighborhoods and work together as a community,” Cowen said. “This campaign is about bringing people together to build a stronger future for every family in our city.”
Quinton F. Robinson previously ran for Tampa City Council’s District 7 seat in 2019. He also filed to run in this year’s upcoming election for Hillsborough County Commission District 3 seat, but did not qualify for the race.
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This article appears in July 02 – 08, 2026.
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