Pasco County hurricane recovery assistance: the Better Future program
Short answer
Every Pasco County homeowner applies to the county's Better Future Individual Housing Program, including residents of Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey, St. Leo, San Antonio and Zephyrhills. It covers damage from Hurricanes Idalia, Helene and Milton (not Debby). As of October 19, 2026, the county is accepting applications from households up to 120% of area median income, with 70% of the money reserved for households at or below 80%. It repairs, rebuilds or replaces homes using county contractors and reimburses finished repairs. Apply online, call 727-228-4936, or attend an intake event.
Program status
Status as published by each administrator. We are an independent guide, not the administrator: confirm on the official site before you act.
- OpenBetter Future Individual Housing Program
Repair up to $175,000; reconstruction up to $330,000, plus up to $100,000 for elevation; manufactured-home replacement up to $163,000 single-wide or $225,000 multi-section; reimbursement up to $75,000 ($25,000 manufactured homes).
Accepting applications from households up to 120% of area median income; no deadline posted. Status as of October 19, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
- OpenReBuild Program (Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco)
Free or low-cost repairs, such as roofing, for homeowners still affected by Helene or Milton.
The nonprofit invites homeowners still in need to apply; no deadline posted. Status as of October 19, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
On this page
Does it matter which part of Pasco you live in?
No. The county says “All of Pasco County has been deemed a MID by HUD” (a most impacted and distressed area), and Better Future serves every address in the county. That includes the six cities (Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey, St. Leo, San Antonio and Zephyrhills) and unincorporated communities such as Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Holiday, Hudson, Trinity, Odessa, Shady Hills, Bayonet Point, Elfers and Moon Lake.
What matters is that the parcel is in Pasco. Some Lutz and Odessa addresses are in Hillsborough County, and Aripeka spans Pasco and Hernando. Pasco’s property appraiser shows a “Jurisdiction” field on each parcel record; see our jurisdiction guide. Homes in a regulatory floodway, second homes and seasonal rentals are not eligible.
Is it open right now?
Yes, as of October 19, 2026. The county’s program page says it is “now accepting applications from households that meet the 120% AMI limits.” No deadline is posted; the county’s guidelines say it will post deadlines online and at intake events. The county’s September 2026 status report listed 1,963 applications, with 38 homes under construction and 27 complete.
Who may qualify
| Requirement | What the county requires |
|---|---|
| Storm | Idalia (2023), Helene (2024) or Milton (2024). Not Debby. |
| Ownership and occupancy | You owned the home and it was your primary residence when the storm hit, and you still own it |
| Income | Up to 120% of area median income; 70% of funds reserved for households at or below 80% |
| Priority | Lower-income households, displaced households, and households with a child 5 or under, someone 62 or older, or a person with a disability |
| Property | One- to four-unit homes (stick-built or block), modular homes and manufactured homes; condos, townhomes and duplexes case by case |
| Finances | Mortgage, property taxes and utilities current or on a payment plan |
What the program pays for
| Help | Maximum | Who is paid |
|---|---|---|
| Repair | $175,000 | County contractor |
| Reconstruction | $330,000, plus up to $100,000 for elevation (total up to $430,000) | County contractor |
| Manufactured-home repair | $30,000 | County contractor |
| Manufactured-home replacement | $163,000 single-wide; $225,000 double- or triple-wide | County contractor |
| Reimbursement of completed repairs | $75,000 (homes); $25,000 (manufactured homes); $1,500 minimum | You |
You cannot pick your own contractor for repair or reconstruction; the program pays the contractor directly. Reimbursement covers costs incurred on or after the storm, before you applied, and within one year after the date of the disaster, according to the county’s guidelines. The program can also cover the 25% homeowner share of an approved Elevate Florida project. See reimbursement for completed repairs.
Income limits
HUD limits updated June 1, 2026, as published by Pasco County.
| Household size | 80% of median (priority) | 120% of median (maximum) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $64,250 | $96,360 |
| 2 | $73,400 | $110,040 |
| 3 | $82,600 | $123,840 |
| 4 | $91,750 | $137,640 |
| 5 | $99,100 | $148,680 |
| 6 | $106,450 | $159,720 |
| 7 | $113,800 | $170,760 |
| 8 | $121,150 | $181,680 |
Use the county’s own figures; they differ by a few dollars from tables other Tampa Bay programs publish for the same area.
How to apply, step by step
- Register and apply online through the county’s Better Future portal, by phone at 727-228-4936, or at a Better Future intake event.
- Eligibility review of your documents.
- Damage assessment (homes built before 1978 are tested for lead).
- Environmental review.
- Pre-construction meeting, where a contractor is assigned.
- Award determination.
- Grant agreement: sign or appeal within 15 days of the award letter.
- Construction, paid by the county; or, for reimbursement, payment to you.
The county’s FAQ says it aims to make decisions in about 30 days at each stage and closes files that go more than 30 days without a response to a request.
What you agree to
The county’s FAQ says Better Future is a grant you will not repay if you meet your obligations. You must keep ownership until your file is closed. In a flood zone, you must carry flood insurance permanently and sign a covenant that is recorded before you receive help, and you must tell future buyers. Reimbursed repairs must be finished within one year of payment. If an owner dies after the work is done and the heirs sell the home, the heirs must repay all or part of the award. The program cannot pay off liens or mortgages.
Help from a person
| Where | Details |
|---|---|
| Phone | 727-228-4936, Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Office of Disaster Recovery Resources | 8239 Youth Ln., Port Richey 34668; in-person help by appointment |
| connect@pascobetterfuture.com | |
| Intake events | Announced by the county |
| Volunteer repairs (east of the Suncoast Parkway) | Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco ReBuild Program |
| Disaster case management | Family Endeavors, 407-487-2362 |
| Community resources | 211 Tampa Bay Cares: dial 211 or text your ZIP code to 898211 |
| Legal problems | Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline, 833-514-2940 |
If you are denied or disagree
Submit a written appeal within 30 calendar days of the determination, according to the county’s guidelines; the program may extend this for hardship. Use the Better Future portal, email connect@pascobetterfuture.com, or mail the Office of Disaster Recovery Resources at 8239 Youth Ln., Port Richey, FL 34668. You can appeal eligibility, a duplication-of-benefits gap, the award or award type, the scope of work or a recapture amount. The county aims to decide within 15 business days. Remember the separate 15-day window to sign or appeal an award letter.
Background: the money
HUD allocated $585,704,000 to Pasco County in January 2025 for Idalia, Helene and Milton; the county’s single-family repair and manufactured-housing budgets are a share of that. HUD approved the county’s first substantial action plan amendment in 2026, which raised several caps. 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 is unclear or the home passed to you without probate: call the Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline at 833-514-2940.
- You received an award letter and disagree with the amount or scope: the 15-day signing window is short.
- You received a duplication-of-benefits gap letter: you have 30 days to resolve or appeal it.
Common mistakes
- Missing the 15-day window to sign the grant agreement or appeal.
- Applying with Debby-only damage.
- Starting new repairs after applying; reimbursement covers only costs before your application and within one year after the storm.
- Emailing an appeal to an address that is not the program's. Use the portal, connect@pascobetterfuture.com, or mail.
Documents Better Future asks for
Questions people ask
I live in New Port Richey (or Zephyrhills, Dade City or another Pasco city). Do I apply to my city?
No. The county says all of Pasco County is eligible, and its program covers residents of all six cities as well as unincorporated areas. Your city still handles building permits for work inside city limits.
My damage is from Hurricane Debby. Am I eligible?
No. Pasco's recovery grant covers Idalia, Helene and Milton. Debby is not one of the storms in the county's HUD grant.
How long do I have to sign after I get an award letter?
Fifteen days. Pasco's program guidelines say you must sign the grant agreement or appeal within 15 days of the award letter, which is shorter than the 30 days most neighboring programs allow.
Will I have to pay the money back?
The county's FAQ says Better Future is a grant and you will not have to repay it if you meet all program obligations. You must keep ownership until your file is closed, keep flood insurance if you are in a flood zone, and heirs who sell a completed home may have to repay part of the award.
Can the program buy out my house?
Buyout and relocation of substantially damaged homes, especially on sites that flood repeatedly, is an eligible activity under the county's amended action plan, and the county's September 2026 status report lists 30 buyout cases. Ask the program whether it fits your situation.
Sources
- Individual Housing Program, Pasco County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Better Future, Pasco County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Better Future Individual Housing Program Guidelines v2.2, Pasco County (May 21, 2026)
- 2026 Area Median Income Limits, Pasco County (June 1, 2026)
- Plans, policies and reports (monthly application status reports; Action Plan Substantial Amendment 1), Pasco County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- IHP Frequently Asked Questions, Pasco County (November 19, 2025)
- Help and resources (appeals), Pasco County (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.