Tampa City Council members unanimously approved the creation of a dedicated hurricane relief fund for residents.
The resolution reallocates $3.2 million of State Housing Initiative Program (SHIP) funds toward a citywide disaster relief program to assist Tampa homeowners impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. It also designates ICF Incorporated, LLC, with management and distribution of the funds.
According to a city memo, hurricane-impacted homeowners who earn at or below 140% of the area’s median income will soon be eligible to receive money for the following activities:
- Up to $20,000 per household in reimbursements for home repairs made in compliance with building codes and proper permitting that’s related to hurricane damage
- Up to $10,000 per household in assistance for insurance deductible payments for homeowners with home or flood insurance and proof of a claim or payout
- Up to $5,000 per household for assistance covering mortgage payments, which cannot be more than 30 days overdue
Abbye Feeley, the city’s director of development and economic opportunity, said residents should be able to begin pre-application screenings for the relief by March 15. A website, phone number and in-person events should go live in coming weeks, she said.
Councilmember Luis Viera, who represents the North Tampa district, originally brought the motion in October after witnessing widespread flooding in neighborhoods, like Forest Hills, that are outside of flood zones.
“You know, the people that I talked to are really going through hell — still,” Viera said. “You’re about four months past this hurricane, past Milton … nobody anticipated flooding out there, most of all the people that live out there.”
Beverly Kieny, president of the Forest Hills neighborhood association, addressed city council members during public comment on Thursday.
“It’s been over 125 days since that morning, and I can tell you intimately the situation of many people who lost everything ... so every bit of financial relief that they can get, it will help restore them and their home, as well as preserve our neighborhood.” Kieny said.
Kieny’s counted 60 homes that were flooded by stormwater and sewage, many of which are still uninhabitable. She said many people are now struggling to cover their mortgage payments while renting a temporary room at a hotel or Airbnb.
“We're going broke because we're trying to fix the problem that city didn't understand that their pumps weren't working properly,” said another Forest Hills resident during public comment.
Beyond financial and physical recovery, there’s been widespread concern about why the water pump stations failed during Hurricane Milton in North Tampa neighborhoods and what the City of Tampa can do to remedy the situation ahead of the 2025 hurricane season.
Gabriella Paul covers the stories of people living paycheck to paycheck in the greater Tampa Bay region for WUSF. She's also a Report for America corps member. Here’s how you can share your story with her.
