Already paid for hurricane repairs? Reimbursement programs in Tampa Bay
Short answer
Several Tampa Bay recovery programs pay homeowners back for hurricane repairs they already finished. As of October 19, 2026, Pinellas County's Homeowner Reimbursement Program (up to $50,000, outside St. Petersburg), Hillsborough County's Rebuilding for Tomorrow reimbursement pathway ($10,000 to $50,000) and Pasco County's Better Future program are open. Sunrise St. Pete's reimbursement is paused. In each, repairs must be complete, permitted and code-compliant before you apply, the program values the work itself rather than paying your receipts, and other aid for the same repairs is subtracted.
Program status
Status as published by each administrator. We are an independent guide, not the administrator: confirm on the official site before you act.
- OpenPeople First Homeowner Reimbursement Program
Reimburses completed, permitted repairs, up to $50,000 (the county's amended action plan sets $15,000 for manufactured homes).
Repairs must be complete before you apply. No application deadline posted. Status as of October 13, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
- OpenRebuilding for Tomorrow Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction Program
Repair up to $150,000 or reconstruction/mobile-home replacement up to $350,000 by county-assigned contractors, or reimbursement of $10,000 to $50,000 for completed repairs.
Open since May 1, 2026, until funding is obligated. Households above 80% of area median income are currently placed on hold. Idalia damage is not covered. Status as of October 19, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
- 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.
- PausedSunrise St. Pete Residential Recovery & Elevation Program
Repair up to $100,000, reconstruction or replacement up to $375,000 by city-selected contractors, or reimbursement up to $50,000.
New applications paused since 11:59 p.m. February 15, 2026; the city says reopening is not guaranteed. A Milton allocation announced October 9, 2026 does not reopen applications; earlier applicants will be re-reviewed once the city's agreements are final. Status as of February 15, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
On this page
Which programs reimburse finished repairs?
| Program | Area | Storms | Maximum | Minimum | Status (Oct 19, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas Homeowner Reimbursement | Pinellas outside St. Petersburg | Idalia, Helene, Milton | $50,000 ($15,000 for manufactured homes under the county’s Action Plan 2.0) | $5,000 in eligible expenses (Action Plan 2.0) | Open |
| Hillsborough Rebuilding for Tomorrow, reimbursement pathway | All of Hillsborough, including Tampa | Helene, Milton | $50,000 | $10,000 | Open |
| Pasco Better Future, homeowner reimbursement | All of Pasco | Idalia, Helene, Milton | $75,000 single-family; $25,000 manufactured home | $1,500 | Open |
| Sarasota Resilient SRQ, reimbursement | All of Sarasota | Debby, Helene, Milton | $50,000 | Not stated | Closed to new entrants since July 2025; earlier survey respondents only |
| Lasting Manatee, proposed reimbursement | All of Manatee | Debby, Helene, Milton | $75,000 (proposed) | Not stated | Under HUD review; not open |
| Sunrise St. Pete, reimbursement | Inside St. Petersburg | Idalia, Helene | $50,000 | Not stated | Paused since Feb 15, 2026 |
Pasco figures come from the county’s program guidelines (version 2.2, May 2026); see the Tampa Bay directory for each county’s contacts.
What all of them require
Work finished before you apply. Pinellas says repairs “must be fully complete prior to application.” Hillsborough requires repairs to be completed before you submit, and St. Petersburg’s guidelines require the same.
Permits and code compliance. Pinellas states that “all completed repairs must have been permitted and meet code compliance.” Hillsborough’s inspection checks that the home is habitable and meets minimum property standards. If you did work without a permit, talk to your building department about an after-the-fact permit first.
Same footprint. Pinellas reimburses work within the home’s original footprint. Additions are not reimbursed.
Owner-occupant at the time of the storm. You must have owned the home and lived in it as your primary residence when the storm hit, and still own it.
How the amount is decided
| Pinellas | Hillsborough | |
|---|---|---|
| Valuation | The program’s damage assessment (Xactimate), not your receipts alone | The program’s Damage Repair Valuation at builder-grade material costs |
| Minus | Insurance, FEMA, SBA and other aid for the same repairs | Same; “No reimbursement will be issued for a cost already paid by another source for the same purpose” |
| Paid to | You | You, by check or ACH after you sign the grant agreement |
| Afterwards | Flood insurance if in a special flood hazard area | Three-year occupancy period; lien expected for awards of $15,000 or more |
Your receipts still matter: they prove you spent insurance or FEMA money on repairs, which reduces the amount the program subtracts. See how disaster aid stacks.
Date limits
| Program | Date rule |
|---|---|
| Pinellas | Work done within two years of January 21, 2025 (HUD’s allocation date) or before your application date, whichever is earlier, per its Action Plan 2.0 |
| Hillsborough | Damage from Helene (September 26, 2024) or Milton (October 9, 2024); work completed before you apply; no calendar end date published |
| Pasco | Costs incurred on or after the storm date, before you submit a complete application, and within one year after the disaster date, per its program guidelines |
| Sarasota | Work fully done and paid before you applied, and within two years of January 21, 2025; reimbursement-only awards require you to keep ownership one year after signing |
| St. Petersburg | Apply before January 21, 2027 (moot while intake is paused) |
Before you spend more money
Do not start new work in the hope of reimbursement. The programs pay only for completed work, money is limited, and the Hillsborough program requires applicants to stop work after applying. If you must make urgent repairs to keep the home safe and dry, document them, get permits and keep every receipt. Use a licensed contractor and avoid storm-chaser tactics; see our guide to storm chaser scams.
Program details by county are in the Pinellas and Hillsborough guides, and all topics are on the recovery assistance hub.
Reimbursement file
Questions people ask
If I spent $40,000, will I get $40,000 back?
Not necessarily. Pinellas values reimbursement through its own damage assessment, and Hillsborough values it at standard builder-grade costs, not your actual receipts. The program then subtracts insurance, FEMA and other aid paid for the same repairs, and applies its cap.
Can I do repairs now and apply for reimbursement later?
Be careful. The programs reimburse work that is already complete when you apply, and the money is not guaranteed. Hillsborough also requires applicants to stop work once they apply. Pinellas's action plan limits reimbursable work to within two years of January 21, 2025, or before you apply, whichever is earlier. Do not borrow or spend money counting on a reimbursement.
My repairs were not permitted. Can I still be reimbursed?
Pinellas says all completed repairs must have been permitted and meet code. Hillsborough and St. Petersburg also require permitted, code-compliant work. Talk to your city or county building department about after-the-fact permits before you apply; Pinellas's penalty waiver for after-the-fact storm permits ended June 30, 2026.
Can I get reimbursement and a repair award?
Not in Pinellas, Hillsborough or St. Petersburg: reimbursement and repair or reconstruction awards cannot be combined in the same program. If the home still needs major work, the repair or reconstruction pathway may be the better fit.
Sources
- Homeowner Reimbursement Program, Pinellas County (Pinellas Recovers) (July 24, 2026)
- Homeowner Reimbursement Program Guidelines v1.0, Pinellas County (December 1, 2025)
- CDBG-DR Action Plan 2.0, Pinellas County (September 24, 2026)
- Rebuilding for Tomorrow: Single Family Housing (Award Pathways), Hillsborough County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction Program Policies and Procedures v2.1, Hillsborough County (August 18, 2026)
- Better Future Individual Housing Program, Pasco County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Residential Recovery & Elevation Program Guidelines v1.1, City of St. Petersburg (May 19, 2026)
- Resilient SRQ Program Manual v1.3, Sarasota County (January 8, 2026)
- Lasting Manatee Home Recovery Program, Manatee County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- After-the-fact permitting, Pinellas County (September 8, 2026)
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.