How St. Pete plans to spend $160 million in hurricane recovery aid
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A sailboat that was washed up in downtown St. Petersburg by Hurricane Helene. Photo: Tristan Wheelock/Bloomberg via Getty Images
St. Petersburg leaders are seeking public feedback on how they plan to spend $160 million in hurricane recovery grant funding.
Why it matters: A draft action plan published last week calls for the money to go toward programs that help with home and apartment building repairs, home elevation, resident relocation and more.
The big picture: The $159.8 million disaster recovery fund was allocated to the city by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help with recovery from Hurricane Idalia in 2023 and Hurricane Helene last year.
- The grant doesn't cover impacts from Hurricane Milton. HUD decides which disasters qualify "based on federal data assessing unmet needs after disasters," city spokesperson Samantha Bequer told Axios.
- At least 70% of the funds will be designated for low- and moderate-income households within the city. For a family of four, that's less than $83,450 per year
Zoom in: The plan calls for two-thirds of the funding ($105 million) to go toward housing programs, which city officials identified as the biggest area of need. Those include:
- Up to $375,000 per household to reconstruct or replace or up to $100,000 to rehabilitate a storm-damaged property. That includes building elevation.
- Up to $50,000 per household for reimbursement of rehab work completed before the grant application.
- Up to $80,000 per household for homebuyer assistance, such as coverage for closing costs or a down payment.
- Buyouts of up to $400,000 for the city to acquire homes or commercial properties in flood-prone areas, allowing residents to relocate to lower-risk areas.
The plan calls for the remaining funding to go toward financial hardship grants of up to $15,000; nonprofit aid; public infrastructure mitigation projects; and post-disaster planning improvements.
The fine print: Each program has eligibility requirements based on income, extent of damage and other factors.
What's next: The city will have a virtual public hearing at 2pm Tuesday for residents to learn about and provide feedback on the draft plan. Register here.
- An in-person public hearing will be at 5pm June 12 at City Hall.
- Residents can also submit written comments here through June 23.
ICYMI: Here's how Pinellas County plans to spend its $800 million in hurricane recovery funds.
- The aid is available to all county residents except those living in St. Pete.