Tampa homeowners who are still feeling the effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton may be eligible for recently announced aid.
The City of Tampa is distributing a total of $3.2 million to residents who meet the income requirement.
Hurricane-impacted homeowners who earn up to 140% of the area median income – around $133,700 for a family of four – are eligible, according to 2024 income guidelines.
According to a memo to City Council members read in December, the funds come from a relocation of the State Housing Initiatives Partnership and will be used to “support insurance deductibles, mortgage assistance (foreclosure prevention), and other applicable recovery activities.”
The requests will be divided by:
- Insurance Deductible Assistance
- This will help homesteaded homeowners with insurance deductibles with repairs that have been made or need to be done, up to $10,000.
- Mortgage Assistance
- Homesteaded homeowners with delinquent mortgage payments due to lost wages from the hurricanes can request up to $5,000.
- Repair Cost Reimbursement
- Hurricane-impacted homeowners who have paid out-of-pocket at least $500 for repairs could receive reimbursement of up to $20,000.
This comes after the Tampa City Council voted unanimously in February to create a dedicated hurricane relief fund for residents.
The money comes from a $12 billion package for 24 states and territories, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Five local counties — Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, Manatee — as well as the city of St. Petersburg, are receiving $2.7 billion from HUD's Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program.
Tampa communities such as the University Area and Forest Hills were hit hard by flooding due to stormwater drainage, despite not being in flood zones.
"Homeowners hit hard by hurricanes have been painfully rebuilding their lives and their homes for months on end," Tampa Councilman Luis Viera, who represents northern Tampa and New Tampa, said in a press release.
"It is our hope that this recovery assistance can help these struggling residents in the journey to get settled into their homes and find some sense of normalcy."
The assistance is not available for mobile homes, rental properties, or homes with no documented damage from the hurricanes.
Registration and pre-application opens on Monday, March 24 at 8 a.m. here.
Homeowners who qualify for the formal application will be notified by March 31.
It may take up to 30 days to receive the funds once approved.
