The St. Petersburg City Council has officially approved a six-year, $159.9 million disaster recovery plan aimed at helping residents rebuild and fortify their homes after recent hurricanes.

“This plan does two major things,” said Council Chair Copley Gerdes. “It injects funding directly into single-family and multifamily homes for mitigation, resiliency, and even reimbursement for storm-related damage. Plus, it sets aside $20 million for infrastructure improvements.”

Of the total funding, 70% is earmarked for housing, 17% for infrastructure, and 13% for public services. While the plan specifically mentions recovery from Hurricanes Idalia and Helene, city leaders say it will cover impacts from Hurricane Milton as well.

“We’re not going to split hairs over which storm caused what,” said Aubrey Phillips, the city’s Strategic Initiatives and Grants Director. “They hit just 10 days apart, and trying to separate them would only create bureaucratic delays.”

Here’s what residents can expect under the plan:

• Repairs for 98 storm-damaged homes
• Reimbursement for repairs at 288 properties
• Assistance for 70 first-time homebuyers
• Development of 582 new affordable housing units
• Housing aid for 784 displaced individuals
• Demolition of 14 homes deemed beyond repair

The funding comes from the federal government through a reimbursement structure, meaning the city fronts the costs and then gets reimbursed by HUD.

Councilmember Brandi Gabbard raised concerns about the scale of the budget. “We’re looking at a $159 million program — where is that money coming from?”

Assistant City Administrator Tom Greene clarified: “We’re not spending it all at once. This will roll out over six years. It works like a line of credit — once we spend on a project, we submit for reimbursement, and that turnaround is typically just a few days.”

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