Hillsborough County is asking residents to weigh in on how to spend more than $700 million in federal hurricane recovery funds.

The county expects to receive $709,324,000 through the Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funding is aimed at long-term recovery and mitigation following recent storms, including Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene, and Milton, which have impacted the area over the past two years.

According to a draft plan, at least 70% of the funding will be allocated to support low-to-moderate income households, with more than half going toward housing-focused programs such as:

• Home repairs and replacements
• New residential construction
• Infrastructure improvements, including stormwater and drainage systems

Public Hearings and Information Sessions

To gather community input, Hillsborough County is holding a series of public hearings and educational meetings throughout June. All events run from 6 to 8 p.m.

Public Comment Hearings:

• June 10 – Emanuel P. Johnson Recreation Center, 5855 S. 78th St., Tampa
• June 12 – Maureen Gauzza Library, 11211 Countryway Blvd., Tampa
• June 13 – Lennard High School, 2342 E. Shell Point Rd., Ruskin
• June 18 – Sayde Gibbs Martin Community Center, 302 S. Maryland Ave., Plant City

Educational Meetings:

• June 9 – Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa
• June 17 – Roy Haynes Park Recreation Center, 1902 S. Village Ave., Tampa
• June 23 – Victor Crist Community Center, 14013 N. 22nd St., Tampa

Online Survey

Residents can also provide feedback through an online survey, available until July 7: Take the survey here

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