Lasting Manatee home recovery program: status and what to do now
Short answer
Manatee County's Lasting Manatee Home Recovery Program covers Debby, Helene and Milton damage countywide, including Bradenton, Palmetto, Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and the Manatee side of Longboat Key. It stopped taking applications on September 30, 2026. The county says it may reopen the window if it needs more lower-income applicants to meet HUD rules, and a reimbursement option of up to $75,000 is under HUD review but not open. If you already applied, check your status in the program portal, at the intake center or at 941-742-4787.
Program status
Status as published by each administrator. We are an independent guide, not the administrator: confirm on the official site before you act.
- ClosedLasting Manatee Home Recovery Program
Repair up to $250,000, or reconstruction, replacement or elevation up to $450,000, by county contractors.
Application period ended September 30, 2026. The county says it may reopen the window if it needs more lower-income applicants to meet HUD rules. A reimbursement option is under HUD review and not open. Status as of September 30, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
- Status not confirmedLasting Manatee homeowner reimbursement option (proposed)
Proposed reimbursement of up to $75,000 for storm repairs already paid for.
Under HUD review as of the county's October 6, 2026 update. Not open; no launch date. Status as of October 6, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
- Status not confirmedLasting Manatee Buyout and Safe Housing Program
Planned voluntary buyout of up to $450,000 per household, including up to $50,000 to relocate outside a flood zone.
Not launched. The county's program page has not been updated since February 2026. Status as of February 13, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
On this page
Who the program covers
Lasting Manatee serves the whole county. HUD designated all of Manatee County as most impacted, and the program covers Bradenton, Palmetto, Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, the Manatee side of Longboat Key, and unincorporated areas such as Bayshore Gardens, Ellenton, Samoset, Whitfield, Cortez, West Bradenton and the Manatee part of Lakewood Ranch. Cities do not run their own housing programs. Lakewood Ranch and Longboat Key cross into Sarasota County; parcels there use Sarasota’s program.
Where things stand
| Item | Status (as of Oct 19, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Home Recovery Program applications | Closed. Pre-applications closed August 31; full applications closed September 30, 2026 |
| Possible reopening | The county’s guide reserves the right to reopen to meet HUD’s 70% lower-income requirement; nothing announced |
| Homeowner reimbursement (up to $75,000) | Proposed; under HUD review; not open |
| Buyout and Safe Housing | Planned (up to $450,000 including a $50,000 relocation incentive); not launched |
| Applications received | 573 by June 30, 2026 (county quarterly report); 97 cases on the October 16 waitlist report |
If you already applied
The county works through applications in phases. Lower-income households with an older adult, a person with a disability or a child come first, then other lower-income households, then households between 80% and 120% of area median income. A separate group holds cases that need probate review. The program’s latest guide (version 2, September 11, 2026) adds a preliminary award letter and moves contractor selection, survey and design ahead of the final grant agreement. Check your status in the Neighborly portal you used to apply, and answer every program request quickly.
What the program pays for
| Help | Maximum | Who is paid |
|---|---|---|
| Repair | $250,000 | County contractor |
| Reconstruction, replacement or elevation | $450,000, including abatement, permits and accessibility | County contractor |
| Reimbursement (proposed) | $75,000 | You, if approved |
You choose from a county-vetted contractor list or the county assigns one. Manufactured homes in a floodplain or special flood hazard area cannot be repaired or replaced through the program. Help is structured as a five-year recorded mortgage and promissory note: if you stay in the home as your homestead for five years, it is satisfied; if you sell, lease, refinance or move out earlier, the remaining balance comes due, reduced 20% a year. You must keep homeowner’s insurance for five years and flood insurance where required.
Income limits
From the program’s 2026 overview (North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton area).
| Household size | 80% of median | 120% of median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $63,950 | $95,880 |
| 2 | $73,050 | $109,560 |
| 3 | $82,200 | $123,240 |
| 4 | $91,300 | $136,920 |
| 5 | $98,650 | $147,960 |
| 6 | $105,950 | $158,880 |
| 7 | $113,250 | Confirm with the program |
| 8 | $120,550 | $180,840 |
The program’s published 7-person figure at 120% appears to contain a typo, so we have not repeated it.
If you never applied
Watch the Lasting Manatee site for a reopening or for the reimbursement option. For help now, the Hope Pathways Long-Term Recovery Group works with disaster survivors through case managers, and the Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline (833-514-2940) handles title, insurance, FEMA and contractor problems. Statewide options are on our Florida programs page.
Help from a person
| Where | Details |
|---|---|
| Lasting Manatee Intake Center | 1012 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton 34205, Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Phone and email | 941-742-4787; info@lastingmanatee.org |
| Manatee County Government Relations, Attn: Lasting Manatee, 1112 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton 34205 | |
| Long-term recovery | Hope Pathways, info@hopepathwaysinc.org |
| Legal problems | Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline, 833-514-2940 |
If you disagree with a decision
The program guide gives you 30 calendar days from the determination to appeal in writing. The county’s contact page directs appeals through the Neighborly portal you used to apply; the guide also allows email to info@lastingmanatee.org or mail to the address above. You can appeal eligibility, a duplication-of-benefits gap, the award type, the scope of work or a recapture. The county aims to decide within 15 business days.
Background: the money
HUD allocated $252,711,000 to Manatee County in January 2025 for Debby, Helene and Milton; the Home Recovery Program’s allocation is $75,556,000. For how insurance, FEMA and SBA money affect an award, see how disaster aid stacks. Neighboring programs are in the Tampa Bay directory, and all topics are on the recovery assistance hub.
When to call a pro
- Your title needs probate or heirship work; the program holds such cases in a separate waitlist group. Call the Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline at 833-514-2940.
- You disagree with a determination: the appeal window is 30 calendar days.
- You have urgent repairs and are not in the program: ask Hope Pathways about long-term recovery help, and use a licensed contractor with permits.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a city address in Manatee means a city program. The county program covers every city.
- Spending money on repairs because you expect reimbursement. It is not approved yet.
- Missing a program request deadline while your file is in review.
If you applied: keep these ready
Questions people ask
I missed the deadline. Is there any way in?
Not right now. The county says its program page will be updated if a reopening becomes known, and its program guide reserves the right to reopen the window to meet HUD's requirement that 70% of the money benefit lower-income households. If HUD approves the proposed reimbursement option, the county's draft amendment says it would then take lower-income applicants who are not already in the process. Sign up for Lasting Manatee updates.
I already paid for repairs. Can I be reimbursed?
Not yet. The county proposed adding reimbursement of up to $75,000 for storm repairs already paid for, and said on October 6, 2026 that the amendment was under HUD review. It is not open, and we have not seen a launch date.
I applied. Why am I on a waitlist?
The county processes applications in phases by income and household needs. Its October 16, 2026 waitlist report listed 97 cases in waitlisted status. Under the program's latest guide, your income is judged against the limits in effect when your file is processed.
I live on Longboat Key. Which program is mine?
It depends on which county your parcel is in. Manatee-side homes use Lasting Manatee; Sarasota-side homes use Sarasota County's Resilient SRQ program. Both are closed to new applicants.
Does Lasting Manatee cover Hurricane Idalia?
No. Manatee County's HUD grant covers Debby, Helene and Milton (2024).
Sources
- Home Recovery Program, Manatee County (Lasting Manatee) (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Home Recovery Program Guide, Version 2, Manatee County (September 11, 2026)
- Lasting Manatee Program Overview (2026 income limits), Manatee County (August 4, 2026)
- Draft Substantial Amendment (homeowner reimbursement), Manatee County (2026-07)
- Quarterly Performance Report, April–June 2026, Manatee County (2026)
- Buyout and Safe Housing Program Guide v1, Manatee County (March 16, 2026)
- Manatee County launching Lasting Manatee intake center, Manatee County (May 19, 2026)
- Hope Pathways Long-Term Recovery Group, Hope Pathways Inc. (accessed 2026-10-19)
- CDBG-DR allocation notice (Docket FR-6512-N-01), HUD, Federal Register (January 16, 2025)
About this guide. DisasterServices.com is an independent publisher. We are not a government agency or a program administrator, we do not take applications or documents, and we cannot tell you whether you qualify. Program rules, income limits and intake status change; confirm everything with the official administrator linked on this page before you act, and apply only through their official website, phone line or help center.
How this page was made. Drafted with AI assistance from the public agency, statute and industry sources listed above, then edited and published by Vincent Wallace. An independent expert has not yet reviewed this page; when one does, their name and the review date will appear at the top. See our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.