Hurricane recovery assistance in Tampa Bay: who handles your address
Short answer
Pinellas County (everywhere except inside St. Petersburg city limits), Hillsborough County (including Tampa), Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota each run their own HUD-funded hurricane recovery program. Inside St. Petersburg city limits the city runs a separate program, Sunrise St. Pete, which has been paused to new applicants since February 15, 2026. Hernando residents were served by the state's Rebuild Florida program, which closed January 30, 2026. As of October 19, 2026, the Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco homeowner programs are open; Manatee and Sarasota are closed to new applicants. A "St. Petersburg" or "Tampa" mailing address does not decide which program you use.
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 Rehabilitation/Reconstruction Program
Repair up to $150,000, or reconstruction, replacement or elevation up to $375,000, by county-hired contractors.
No application deadline posted. The county says it may adjust the intake period. Status as of October 13, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- ClosedResilient SRQ Housing Recovery Program (2024 storms)
Repair up to $200,000, reconstruction up to $310,000, or reimbursement up to $50,000.
Closed to new entrants since the interest survey ended July 7, 2025; homeowners who completed the survey are still being invited to apply. Status as of July 7, 2025; last verified October 19, 2026.
- ClosedRebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement Program (2023 and 2024 storms)
Repair up to $50,000 or reconstruction/replacement up to $350,000 by state contractors.
Closed to new applications January 30, 2026. The state tells non-applicants to contact their local community action agency. Status as of January 30, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
Check status on the official siteProgram rules1-888-530-3025
- Status not confirmedHernando County SHIP Disaster Assistance
SHIP disaster help for qualified residents, such as insurance deductibles, interim repairs and debris removal to make a home livable.
County pages conflict on whether this is accepting applications. Call before applying. Status as of October 19, 2026; last verified October 19, 2026.
On this page
Which office handles my address?
Find your county, then your city or community. The program is decided by where the damaged home sits, not by the city printed on your mail. If you are not sure whether you are inside city limits, use the jurisdiction lookups before you call anyone.
| County | Your home is in… | Hurricane recovery program | Run by | Status (as of Oct 19, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas | Inside St. Petersburg city limits | Sunrise St. Pete | City of St. Petersburg | Paused since Feb 15, 2026 |
| Pinellas | Anywhere else: Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Tarpon Springs, Gulfport, Kenneth City, South Pasadena, Belleair, Belleair Beach, Belleair Bluffs, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Madeira Beach, North Redington Beach, Redington Beach, Redington Shores, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, and unincorporated areas such as Lealman, Palm Harbor, East Lake, Tierra Verde, Bay Pines and Feather Sound | People First | Pinellas County | Open |
| Hillsborough | Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City, or unincorporated areas such as Brandon, Riverview, Ruskin, Apollo Beach, Town ‘n’ Country, Valrico, Wimauma and Sun City Center | Rebuilding for Tomorrow | Hillsborough County | Open (Helene and Milton only) |
| Pasco | Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey, St. Leo, San Antonio, Zephyrhills, or unincorporated areas such as Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Hudson, Holiday, Trinity, Odessa and Shady Hills (Pasco guide) | Better Future | Pasco County | Open |
| Manatee | Bradenton, Palmetto, Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, the Manatee side of Longboat Key, or unincorporated areas such as Bayshore Gardens, Ellenton, Samoset, Whitfield and Cortez (Manatee guide) | Lasting Manatee Home Recovery | Manatee County | Closed Sept 30, 2026 |
| Sarasota | Sarasota, Venice, North Port, the Sarasota side of Longboat Key, or unincorporated areas such as Siesta Key, Englewood, Nokomis and Osprey (Sarasota guide) | Resilient SRQ | Sarasota County | Closed to new entrants |
| Hernando | Brooksville or unincorporated areas such as Spring Hill and Hernando Beach (Hernando guide) | Rebuild Florida (state); county SHIP help | FloridaCommerce; Hernando County | State program closed Jan 30, 2026; county help unconfirmed |
Hernando County has one city, Brooksville; Weeki Wachee stopped being a city in 2020. Lutz and Odessa addresses span Hillsborough and Pasco, Aripeka spans Pasco and Hernando, and Lakewood Ranch and Longboat Key span Manatee and Sarasota. The county your parcel is in decides the program.
I’m not sure which jurisdiction I’m in
Mailing addresses follow post office routes, not city limits. In Pinellas, Lealman, Bay Pines, Tierra Verde and parts of several small cities receive “St. Petersburg” mail but are served by the county program. In Hillsborough, many “Tampa” addresses in Town ‘n’ Country, Carrollwood and Citrus Park are unincorporated. Hillsborough’s recovery program covers the whole county, so this matters less there, but it still decides which city or county office handles your permits and any city-only help.
Use the official tools: Pinellas County’s address lookup on the People First page, the City of St. Petersburg’s lookup, and the City of Tampa’s GIS address look-up. Our jurisdiction guide lists each one. Do not rely on ZIP codes.
What each program can pay for
| Program | Repair or rebuild | Reimbursement for finished repairs | Who gets paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas People First | Up to $150,000 repair; up to $375,000 rebuild | Up to $50,000 | Contractors for repairs; you for reimbursement |
| Sunrise St. Pete (paused) | Up to $100,000 repair; up to $375,000 rebuild | Up to $50,000 | Contractors; you for reimbursement |
| Hillsborough Rebuilding for Tomorrow | Up to $150,000 repair; up to $350,000 rebuild | $10,000 to $50,000 | Contractors; you for reimbursement |
| Pasco Better Future | Up to $175,000 repair; up to $330,000 rebuild (plus up to $100,000 for elevation) | Up to $75,000 ($25,000 manufactured homes) | Contractors; you for reimbursement |
| Lasting Manatee (closed) | Up to $250,000 repair; up to $450,000 rebuild | Proposed up to $75,000; not open | Contractors |
| Resilient SRQ, Sarasota (closed) | Up to $200,000 repair; up to $310,000 rebuild | Up to $50,000 | Contractors; you for reimbursement |
| Rebuild Florida, Hernando (closed) | Up to $50,000 repair; up to $350,000 rebuild | None | Contractors |
These are program maximums, not what a household receives. Each program subtracts insurance, FEMA and other aid you already got for the same repairs; our guide to how disaster aid stacks explains how.
Which storms each program covers
| Program | Idalia 2023 | Debby 2024 | Helene 2024 | Milton 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas People First | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sunrise St. Pete | Yes | No | Yes | Not yet (allocation announced Oct 9, 2026) |
| Hillsborough Rebuilding for Tomorrow | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pasco Better Future | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Manatee and Sarasota | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rebuild Florida (Hernando) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
A Hillsborough homeowner whose only damage came from Idalia has no county recovery-grant route; the Hillsborough guide lists other options.
Hurricane Isaias is not covered here
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin on October 9, 2026. As of October 19, 2026, FEMA had issued an emergency declaration (EM-3655) for 27 Panhandle and Big Bend counties, with no individual assistance, and none of the six Tampa Bay counties were included. The programs on this page are for the 2023 and 2024 storms. Panhandle readers can see our Hurricane Isaias update.
Where to get help from a person
| Need | Contact |
|---|---|
| Pinellas People First | 727-606-3307 |
| Sunrise St. Pete | 727-591-2990 |
| Hillsborough Rebuilding for Tomorrow | 813-540-7767 |
| Pasco Better Future | 727-228-4936 |
| Manatee (Lasting Manatee) | 941-742-4787 |
| Sarasota (Resilient SRQ) | 941-861-5309 |
| Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline (title, FEMA, insurance, contractor problems) | 833-514-2940 |
| Community resources | Dial 211 |
For statewide programs such as FEMA, SBA, Elevate Florida and My Safe Florida Home, see Florida programs. All recovery topics are listed on the recovery assistance hub.
Before you call any program
Questions people ask
My address says St. Petersburg but I live in Lealman. Which program do I use?
Lealman is unincorporated Pinellas County, so the county's People First programs serve you, not Sunrise St. Pete. Many unincorporated areas and small cities use a St. Petersburg mailing address. Pinellas County publishes an address lookup that tells you which program serves your home.
I live in Clearwater (or Largo, Pinellas Park, Dunedin or a beach town). Do I apply through my city?
No. For these hurricane recovery grants, Pinellas County serves every city in the county except St. Petersburg. Your city still handles building permits.
I live in Tampa. Does the city run its own program?
Tampa's two city hurricane programs are closed. Tampa homeowners apply to Hillsborough County's Rebuilding for Tomorrow program, which the county says covers Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City.
Does Hurricane Isaias (October 2026) qualify for these programs?
No. These programs cover the 2023 and 2024 storms. As of October 19, 2026, FEMA had issued only an emergency declaration for Isaias, covering Panhandle and Big Bend counties, and none of the six Tampa Bay counties.
I rent. Do these programs help me?
These pages are written for homeowners. Some administrators run separate renter or landlord programs, and some have closed. Call the administrator for your address, or dial 211, and ask specifically about renter help.
Sources
- People First Hurricane Recovery Programs, Pinellas County (Pinellas Recovers) (October 13, 2026)
- Residential Recovery & Elevation Program (Sunrise St. Pete), City of St. Petersburg (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Rebuilding for Tomorrow: Single Family Housing, Hillsborough County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Better Future Individual Housing Program, Pasco County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Lasting Manatee Home Recovery Program, Manatee County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Resilient SRQ Housing Recovery Program (2024 Storms), Sarasota County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Rebuild Florida, FloridaCommerce (April 14, 2026)
- 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.