The Tampa City Council is poised to review a $3 million initiative aimed at supporting hurricane victims, including residents like Belina Trask, who has been struggling to restore her home in Forest Hills since the hurricanes hit.

In 2025, Trask recounted her ordeal to WFLA News, “Half the house flooded.”

Like many others, Trask turned to FEMA for aid. “We had an inspector come out here,” she said. “He did everything, wrote everything, and we thought everything was going to be great.” However, her hopes were dashed when FEMA largely denied her claim, offering only $278.

This scenario is all too familiar in the Tampa Bay area, where countless individuals are slowly rebuilding their lives.

WFLA’s Nicole Rogers questioned Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera about the city’s response, “What is the city doing to make these people whole again?”

Viera explained, “The city is implementing a financial assistance program. We’re budgeting about $3 million to help lower income, working-class, or middle-class families with mortgage assistance.”

While acknowledging that the $3 million won’t address every issue, Viera emphasized it as a step forward. “Of course, the city’s finances are limited, but my view is we should do everything we can, understanding that if we were in the same boat, we’d want assistance too.”

The Tampa City Council is scheduled to vote on this proposal on January 23.

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(Image credit: Kaley Mantz)