Hurricane recovery assistance for homeowners: what exists and who runs it
After a declared hurricane, help for homeowners comes in layers: your insurance, FEMA Individual Assistance (usually closed within a few months), SBA disaster loans, and then HUD-funded recovery grants (CDBG-DR) run by a county, a city or the state, often a year or more later. Which office handles your home depends on where the property sits, not on your mailing address. Pick your area below. We are an independent guide, not an administrator: you apply only through the official program.
Happening right now? Go to the first-48-hours stepsTampa Bay, Florida
- Hurricane recovery assistance in Tampa Bay: who handles your addressPinellas, St. Petersburg, Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota and Hernando run different hurricane recovery programs. Find the office for your address and its status.
- Pinellas County hurricane recovery assistance for homeowners (outside St. Pete)Pinellas County's People First programs serve every city and unincorporated area except inside St. Petersburg city limits. Status, eligibility, caps and how to apply.
- Sunrise St. Pete hurricane assistance: current status and what to do nowSt. Petersburg's Sunrise St. Pete recovery grants have been paused to new applicants since Feb. 15, 2026. What that means, what is still open, and where to check.
- Rebuilding for Tomorrow: Hillsborough hurricane repair help for homeownersHillsborough County's Rebuilding for Tomorrow program covers Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City and unincorporated areas for Helene and Milton damage. Status, caps, how to apply.
- Hurricane recovery assistance for Tampa homeowners: where to apply nowTampa's own hurricane programs are closed. Tampa homeowners with Helene or Milton damage apply to Hillsborough County's Rebuilding for Tomorrow program. What else to know.
- Pasco County hurricane recovery assistance: the Better Future programPasco County's Better Future program repairs, rebuilds and reimburses homes damaged by Idalia, Helene or Milton, countywide. Status, caps, income limits and how to apply.
- Lasting Manatee home recovery program: status and what to do nowManatee County's Lasting Manatee program for Debby, Helene and Milton damage closed to new applicants Sept. 30, 2026. What applicants and non-applicants can do now.
- Resilient SRQ 2024 storms housing program: status and next stepsSarasota County's Resilient SRQ program for Debby, Helene and Milton damage closed to new entrants in July 2025. What applicants should know, caps, liens and appeals.
- Hurricane recovery help in Hernando County: what's left in 2026Hernando County had no HUD recovery grant of its own, and the state's Rebuild Florida program has closed. What county SHIP help, case management and legal aid remain.
Florida-wide programs
Before you apply
- Is my home inside city limits? Jurisdiction lookups for Tampa BayA St. Petersburg or Tampa mailing address does not mean city limits. Use these official lookups to find which government runs your hurricane assistance program.
- Documents you need for hurricane recovery assistance (printable checklist)The ID, ownership, residence, income and tax documents Tampa Bay recovery programs ask for, which ones are conditional, and official alternatives when records are missing.
- How insurance, FEMA, SBA and recovery grants stack after a hurricaneDuplication of benefits in plain English: what counts against a hurricane recovery grant, what does not, and why a declined SBA loan is not held against you.
- Already paid for hurricane repairs? Reimbursement programs in Tampa BayPinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Sarasota and St. Petersburg reimburse finished, permitted hurricane repairs under different caps, minimums and dates. What each requires.
Related guides
- FEMA disaster assistance: who qualifies, how to apply, appealsFEMA Individual Assistance helps with uninsured needs after a declared disaster. Who qualifies, how to apply, why claims are denied, and the 60-day appeal.
- Home insurance claim denied? How to read the letter and appealFind the policy reason in the denial letter, get the claim file, then use reconsideration, appraisal, mediation or a complaint. Florida steps included.
- Hurricane damage: wind, surge, rain and what each means for claimsHurricane damage comes from wind, storm surge and rain, and each can fall under a different policy. How the wind-flood split, deductibles and NFIP work.
- Flood cleanup step by step: from muck-out to dry-outHow to clean a flooded home safely: re-entry checks, photos for your claim, what to throw out, how far to cut drywall, drying, and lead and asbestos cautions.
This section covers government and nonprofit programs that help homeowners repair, rebuild or recover after a hurricane. It starts with Tampa Bay, Florida, where five counties, one city and the state run separate programs for Hurricanes Idalia (2023), Debby (2024), Helene (2024) and Milton (2024). Every status on these pages carries the date we last checked the official source.
Sources
- Allocations for Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery and Implementation of the CDBG-DR Consolidated Waivers and Alternative Requirements Notice, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Register (January 16, 2025)
- Last Day for Floridians to Apply for FEMA Assistance, FEMA (January 7, 2025)
- Hurricane Recovery Resources, Florida Department of Financial Services, Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate (accessed 2026-10-19)