Hurricane recovery assistance for Tampa homeowners: where to apply now
Short answer
If your home is in the City of Tampa and was damaged by Hurricane Helene or Milton, apply to Hillsborough County's Rebuilding for Tomorrow program, which the county says covers Tampa. As of October 19, 2026 it is open. The City of Tampa's own hurricane programs are closed: Homeowner Hurricane Assistance stopped taking applications December 10, 2025, and the Homeowner Disaster Assistance Program's pre-application period has ended. The city's ordinary housing rehabilitation program is also closed, and the county's ordinary repair program does not serve Tampa. Call 813-540-7767 or apply at housing.rebuildingfortomorrow.hcfl.gov.
Program status
Status as published by each administrator. We are an independent guide, not the administrator: confirm on the official site before you act.
- 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.
- ClosedCity of Tampa Homeowner Hurricane Assistance
Up to $30,000 per household for storm repairs.
Closed to new applications December 10, 2025; the city is still reviewing and paying existing applications. Status as of December 10, 2025; last verified October 19, 2026.
- ClosedCity of Tampa Homeowner Disaster Assistance Program
Insurance deductible, mortgage and repair-cost assistance.
The city says registration and pre-application have closed. Status as of April 7, 2025; last verified October 19, 2026.
On this page
Which program serves a Tampa homeowner?
For Hurricane Helene or Milton damage, the answer is Hillsborough County’s Rebuilding for Tomorrow program. The county says applicants can live anywhere in the county, “including in the City of Tampa.” Tampa residents are its largest group: in the county’s report for the quarter ending June 30, 2026, 673 of 1,279 applications came from Tampa.
| Program | Run by | Serves Tampa? | Status (Oct 19, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebuilding for Tomorrow Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction | Hillsborough County | Yes | Open |
| Homeowner Hurricane Assistance | City of Tampa | Yes | Closed December 10, 2025 |
| Homeowner Disaster Assistance Program | City of Tampa | Yes | Closed |
| Housing Rehabilitation & Renovation Program (not storm-specific) | City of Tampa | Yes | Closed (page updated July 8, 2026) |
| Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation (not storm-specific) | Hillsborough County | No | Open, but not for Tampa |
Full eligibility rules, award limits, income limits, documents and appeal steps for the county program are on our Hillsborough County guide.
Is your home inside Tampa city limits?
The City of Tampa notes that of the addresses with a Tampa mailing address, “not all fall within the official City of Tampa limits.” Town ‘n’ Country, Carrollwood, Citrus Park and the Hillsborough side of Lutz, for example, are largely unincorporated Hillsborough County, with annexed pockets. Use the city’s GIS address look-up, linked from its city-limits page, to check your parcel. See our jurisdiction guide for every Tampa Bay lookup.
Inside or outside, you can apply to Rebuilding for Tomorrow. The answer changes three things:
| Inside Tampa city limits | Unincorporated “Tampa” address | |
|---|---|---|
| Building permits | City of Tampa Construction Services, 813-274-3100 | Hillsborough County Development Services |
| County Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation | Not eligible | May be eligible |
| City of Tampa housing programs (when open) | Eligible to apply | Not eligible |
What happened to the City of Tampa’s programs
Homeowner Hurricane Assistance used $2 million from the city’s general fund to give up to $30,000 per household for Helene and Milton repairs. It stopped accepting applications on December 10, 2025. The city says it is still reviewing applications and paying approved households.
Homeowner Disaster Assistance Program, run with the state SHIP program, offered help with insurance deductibles, mortgage payments and repair costs. The city says its registration and pre-application period has closed.
Housing Rehabilitation & Renovation Program is the city’s ordinary repair program, not specific to hurricanes. Its page said in July 2026 that it was not accepting new applications and was projected to reopen in summer 2026, subject to state and federal funding. Note the name: the county’s hurricane program is also abbreviated HRRP, so confirm which one someone means.
Households that received city hurricane money can still apply to the county, but the county subtracts what was already paid for the same repairs. See how disaster aid stacks.
Getting help in Tampa
| Where | Details |
|---|---|
| Rebuilding for Tomorrow call center | 813-540-7767, Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; RFT.Housing@HCFL.gov |
| Rebuilding for Tomorrow Service Center | 1029 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa 33604, Monday–Friday 8–5 |
| County community resource centers in Tampa | Lee Davis (3402 N. 22nd St.), University (13605 N. 22nd St.), West Tampa (2103 N. Rome Ave.); 813-272-5220 |
| City of Tampa Housing & Community Development | 813-274-7954 |
| Homeowner Hurricane Assistance (existing applicants) | 813-307-5555 |
| Legal problems (title, FEMA, contractors) | Florida Disaster Legal Aid Helpline, 833-514-2940 |
The county also holds evening pop-up intake events around the county; check its newsroom for dates.
If your damage was from Idalia, or the county says no
Rebuilding for Tomorrow does not cover Hurricane Idalia (2023), and Tampa is not in the state’s Rebuild Florida program, which closed in January 2026. If you are denied, the county gives you 30 days to appeal in writing. For legal help with title or contractor problems, call the helpline above. For other statewide programs and their status, see Florida programs and the Tampa Bay directory. All recovery topics are on the recovery assistance hub.
Tampa homeowner: before you apply
Questions people ask
Will the City of Tampa reopen its hurricane assistance?
The city has not announced a reopening of Homeowner Hurricane Assistance or the Homeowner Disaster Assistance Program. Its separate Housing Rehabilitation and Renovation Program said it was projected to reopen in summer 2026 subject to funding, but its page still said it was closed as of July 8, 2026. Check the city's housing pages for changes.
I got a City of Tampa award. Can I also apply to the county?
You can apply, but the county subtracts other assistance paid for the same repairs. Tell the county about any city award and keep the paperwork.
My mail says Tampa but my taxes go to the county. Which applies?
For Rebuilding for Tomorrow, it doesn't matter: the program covers the whole county. It matters for permits and for the county's ordinary Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation program, which serves unincorporated Hillsborough but not the City of Tampa.
Sources
- Rebuilding for Tomorrow: Single Family Housing, Hillsborough County (accessed 2026-10-19)
- Homeowner Hurricane Assistance, City of Tampa Housing & Community Development (August 3, 2026)
- Homeowner Disaster Assistance Program, City of Tampa Housing & Community Development (April 7, 2025)
- Apply for the Housing Rehabilitation & Renovation Program (HRRP), City of Tampa (July 8, 2026)
- City limits, City of Tampa (August 20, 2025)
- Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation (OOR) Program, Hillsborough County (July 2, 2026)
- Quarterly Status Report, Q2 2026 (via program documentation page), Hillsborough County (July 15, 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.