Pinellas County is inviting residents to weigh in on a proposed $813 million plan to help the community recover from recent hurricane damage, using federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The draft action plan for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program is open for public comment through May 23. The plan outlines how the County intends to prioritize residents’ needs using the funds, based on more than 3,000 survey responses and a detailed analysis of unmet needs.
The funds will support a range of programs including:
- Home rehabilitation and reconstruction
- Reimbursement for home repairs
- Homebuyer assistance
- Mobile homeowner relocation
- Affordable rental housing for local landlords
- Disaster relief for rent, mortgage, and utilities
- Assistance for small businesses and nonprofits
- County and city storm mitigation projects
In accordance with federal guidelines, most of the aid must benefit low- to moderate-income households. However, some programs will be open to families earning up to 120% of the Area Median Income—$125,160 for a family of four in Pinellas.
The draft plan is available for review at recover.pinellas.gov, where residents can also submit comments. The County Commission will review the plan at its May 6 meeting.
Several public meetings are scheduled to gather additional input, including:
- Thursday, April 24, 6–8 p.m. at Harbor Hall/White Chapel in Palm Harbor
- Tuesday, May 6, 9:30 a.m. at 333 Chestnut Street, Clearwater
- Zoom meetings on May 13 (11 a.m.) and May 15 (6 p.m.), with links at recover.pinellas.gov/meetings
Once the comment period closes, the final plan will be submitted to HUD, with the first programs expected to launch this fall. Programs will roll out over the next several years and may be adjusted based on community demand.
The funding will support residents throughout Pinellas County, excluding the City of St. Petersburg, which received a separate HUD allocation.