Pinellas County is launching a new program on Monday to help residents recover from hurricanes.
The Pinellas People First Hurricane Recovery Program has a budget of $813 million for people who need aid for things like home repairs, homebuying assistance, disaster relief and landlord support.
The funding comes from a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help with the aftermath of hurricanes Helene, Milton and Idalia.
However, the payouts are based on a family's income.
Seventy percent of all grant money must go to families who earn between 80% and 120% of the area's median income. However, residents can also apply for waivers if they make more money.
"Once we can prove that we've satisfied an unmet need in those particular income brackets, then we can apply for waivers because that may not fit everybody," said County Commissioner Brian Scott. "I mean, you may have some folks down the beach, as an example, that are house rich but cash poor."
The county will also check for hurricane relief that residents may have received from other programs like FEMA.
"There will be a duplication of benefits review for every applicant that comes in the door," said Matthew Spoor, the assistant county administrator for Pinellas County. "And we will review with the applicant other funding sources that they may have received and that will play a role into the dollar amount that they can receive from HUD through Pinellas County."
Residents from St. Petersburg are the only county residents not able to apply. That’s because the city is launching its own program in November. For more information on St. Petersburg’s program, check out Sunrise St. Pete.
Program Information
Homeowner Reconstruction: Homeowners who had their homes damaged by hurricanes can apply for the program to receive funding to repair their homes.
Homeowner Reimbursement: Homeowners who repaired their homes following hurricane damage can get reimbursed for the work.
Homebuyer Assistance: Applies to homeowners who want to buy a home outside flood zones. The funding can cover a down payment, reduced mortgage or closing costs.
Local Landlord Program: This program applies to landlords with properties damaged by hurricanes. However, they have to agree to rent to income-qualified tenants.
Disaster Relief Reimbursement: The program is meant to fund disaster-related expenses, like rent, utilities, or mortgage and covers up to six months of costs.
There's more information on the program through recover.pinellas.gov, where residents can find the documents and qualifications they need to apply.
