Hillsborough's plan for federal hurricane funds focuses on housing
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Hillsborough County approved a draft plan to use upward of $700 million in hurricane recovery grant funding.
Why it matters: Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused more than $2.4 billion in damage across the county. Now, residents have 30 days to weigh in on where federal aid should go.
The big picture: The $709 million disaster recovery fund was allocated to the county by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help with recovery from Helene and Milton.
- At least 70% of the funds will be designated for low- and moderate-income households countywide.
- Hillsborough officials will gather feedback through an online survey and a series of community meetings throughout June.
Zoom in: The plan calls for more than half of the funding ($360 million) to support housing programs, which county officials identified as the biggest area of need.
- Homeowners can get up to $350,000 to rebuild or replace storm-damaged properties, including elevating them if needed.
- Awards of up to $25 million will support the long-term development of affordable rental housing, with a minimum project size of 20 units and a maximum of 300 units.
- Up to $15 million is available for facilities that serve the homeless and other special populations to cover storm damage and resilience.
- Infrastructure upgrades tied to housing can receive between $250,000 and $20 million, focusing on fixes to long-standing issues and improving storm resilience.
Between the lines: With a public hearing later this month to decide whether to repeal the county's affordable housing trust, these recovery programs could have heightened importance.
- The county's HOPE fund helped build more than 1,000 affordable units and supported displaced residents after Milton.
The fine print: Each program has eligibility requirements based on income, extent of damage and other factors.
What's next: The Board of County Commissioners will finalize the plan on July 16, and then it will be submitted to HUD.