The University community in north Tampa takes its name from the University of South Florida, which sits right beside it. It’s an unincorporated, mostly rental area about 27 miles from our Seminole base, and we serve it by appointment.
Book a visit in University
Tell us what you need and where you are. A licensed electrician will call or text you back to set a time. For an emergency, call (727) 476-7079, 24/7.
Keywest Lights & Electric is a licensed electrical contractor (EC13014717), woman-owned and family-run, working since 2010 from 6248 Seminole Blvd, Seminole FL 33772.
Request service online or call (727) 476-7079, 7 AM–5 PM, with weekend appointments available.
Mostly rentals and apartments
University is mostly rentals. Among roughly 48,100 residents, only about 13% of homes are owner-occupied, and the median home was built in 1986 (Census ACS 2020–2024). It packs that population into about 6.3 square miles (2024 Census Gazetteer). Most of our work here comes from small landlords and investors: duplexes and single-family rentals with tired panels, two-prong outlets and overloaded kitchen circuits that come up at turnover or on an insurance inspection.
University at a glance (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates):
- Residents: about 48,127
- Median year built: 1986
- Built before 1980: 31.5%
- Built 2010 or later: 11.1%
- Owner-occupied: 12.9%
- Single-family detached: 9.6%
Apartments, duplexes and small rentals
Fewer than 10% of homes in the University area are single-family detached, and about 7% are manufactured homes (ACS 2020–2024). Most homes are apartments or small multifamily buildings, and almost 94% heat with electricity. For owners of single-family rentals and duplexes, the common issues are overloaded kitchen circuits, missing GFCI protection and panels that worry insurers.
Older wiring near the USF campus
About 31.5% of University homes went up before 1980, which is why we bring a thermal camera and a tester to every older-home visit. Warm breakers, loose neutrals and overloaded circuits don’t always show on the surface. If something needs attention, we explain what we found, why it matters and what it would take to fix, and we quote it in writing. If the system checks out, we tell you that too.
Mobile-home lots in University
Mobile and manufactured homes make up about 7.2% of University’s housing. The equipment that fails most often is outdoors: pedestals and meter bases that have taken years of sun and rain, and feeders whose connections have loosened. If your lights flicker or a breaker keeps tripping, have the pedestal and the feeder checked before replacing anything inside.
Student rentals and duplex owners
Roughly 12.9% of University’s homes are lived in by their owners. The rest are rented, and we work with many of those landlords. Insurance inspections and tenant turnovers are when most electrical issues surface, and we provide written estimates and final paperwork you can keep with the property file.
University in hurricane season
Zones are set by address, so check yours on the Hillsborough County evacuation lookup. Electric heat is the norm, at about 94% of homes (Census B25040). Plan which circuits matter most in an outage and wire a safe generator connection for them. About 7% of homes are mobile or manufactured, and Florida’s Know Your Zone, Know Your Home guidance treats those homes as among the most likely to be evacuated in a storm, whatever the zone. The Census Gazetteer measures University at roughly 6.3 square miles of land plus 0.23 of water. Anything electrical that sat in water should stay off until it’s inspected; our flooded electrical guide covers the steps.
Jobs we book in University
What University-area landlords and owners book:
- Panel replacements flagged on a 4-point inspection
- GFCI and AFCI protection and grounded outlets between tenants
- Partial rewiring of ungrounded circuits
- Federal Pacific and Zinsco panel replacement
- Surge protection to protect tenant appliances
Permanent lights for University homes
For a rental, permanent eave lighting works as year-round security light and seasonal color without anyone climbing a ladder. The track is mounted under the soffit and along the gable rakes beneath the overhang, and the controller plugs into an outlet in the garage, so tenants don’t have to do anything. The owner can set schedules from the app.
For duplex and single-family rental owners: on a duplex, we can install one controller per unit or one for the whole building, depending on how the meters and garages are set up. We’ll explain the options on the site visit.
Some neighbors call it permanent holiday lighting, others soffit lighting. It is one system for every season. See how it works on our JellyFish Lighting page, compare options on permanent lighting, or read about JellyFish in Hillsborough County. You can also get a free design preview of your home.
Booking a University-area visit
University is a planned trip across the bay. We book a walkthrough of the property, provide an itemized quote per unit and schedule the work around tenant access. We don’t provide emergency service this far from Seminole.
Our labor is warrantied for 2 years (5 years on a Member Care Plan), and JellyFish parts carry their own 5-year warranty. Ask about Acorn Finance; approval depends on credit.
Other towns close to University
Lake Magdalene · Temple Terrace · Lutz · Hillsborough County overview · All service areas
University-area questions
Can you coordinate with my tenants? Yes. We set an access window with the tenant or the property manager and keep the visit short.
A 4-point inspection flagged the panel on my rental. Can you fix it fast? We schedule a visit, quote the replacement and pull the permit. You’ll get final paperwork you can send to the insurer.
Do permanent lights make sense on a rental? They can. They act as security lighting year-round, and there’s nothing for tenants to hang or take down.
Do you work on duplexes? Yes, for panel, circuit and outlet work, and permanent lighting where the building and the owners agree.
Are University homes mostly older or newer? Middle-aged housing: median 1986, with roughly 32% older than 1980 (ACS).
Do University renters call you? Owners and property managers book us directly. Around 87% of homes are rentals, per the Census.
Can you help with a mobile home in University? Yes. About 7% of homes here are mobile or manufactured (Census ACS). We work on their panels and meter pedestals and check community rules first.
Planning electrical or lighting work in University? Call (727) 476-7079.
EV chargers in University: see ev chargers in University.
Surge protection in University: see whole-house surge protection in University.
More for University homes: surge protection · panel upgrades · generator installation.