St. Petersburg residents, small business owners, and city employees affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton will soon receive aid. Starting in March, officials will distribute over $800,000 from the We Are St. Pete Fund, which was approved unanimously by the city council.

The fund allocates $400,000 for resident grants, $200,000 for small businesses, and $200,000 for non-resident city employees. An initial $100,000 was used for immediate relief.

Council Chair Copley Gerdes praised the program’s development, led by Mayor Ken Welch, for addressing needs after both hurricanes damaged nearly 16,000 homes.

Administered by the Pinellas Community Foundation, the grants support rebuilding and storm-hardening. Homeowners can get up to $30,000 for repairs and $5,000 for insurance deductibles. Tenants may receive $10,000 for up to three months’ rent, retroactive to September 26, 2024.

St. Petersburg also received an additional $65,000 from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program, bringing total housing assistance to $1.8 million. The fund will aid residents earning up to 140% of the area’s median income.

The city’s program opens March 11, with small business applications starting at the end of March. Home-based and shared-space businesses can get up to $5,000, while brick-and-mortar stores can receive up to $15,000 for damages.

Brian Caper, economic and workforce development director, emphasized support for home-based businesses, a lesson learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Jess Riedel, senior operations analyst, noted that unspent administrative funds would be redirected to storm victims.

To contribute, visit the website: Pinellas Community Foundation – We Are St. Pete Fund.

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(Image credit: Pinellas Community Foundation – We Are St. Pete Fund)

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