Homeowners in Pinellas County accepted into Florida’s Elevate Florida program say they remain without clear timelines or visible progress on flood-mitigation funding nearly a year after last hurricane season, prompting calls for greater transparency from local and state officials.

Elevate Florida is a statewide initiative intended to help owners of flood-prone homes elevate their houses above flood levels. About 75% of the roughly 1,500 applications from Pinellas County come from local residents, but as of early 2026, none of those homes have been elevated and no construction projects have been announced publicly.

County officials say they are monitoring the situation and sharing information they receive from the Florida Division of Emergency Management, which oversees the program, but acknowledge communication has been limited. In a county commission meeting earlier this year, administrators discussed broader recovery efforts and noted ongoing review processes for eligibility and permitting, but did not provide specific dates for when Elevate Florida funds will be released or when work will begin.

Local officials have advised homeowners to stay in contact with program case managers and await formal updates; some public posts from news outlets indicate notifications about application status were expected by late summer.

Homeowners and community advocates say the lack of clear timelines leaves many in limbo as they decide whether to rebuild, repair, or sell properties damaged by flooding. Officials have not yet released a comprehensive schedule for disbursing funds or starting elevation projects in the county.

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