Tag: Hurricane Helene
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Two years after back-to-back hurricanes battered the Tampa Bay area, Pinellas County has a large pool of federal recovery money and a long line of residents still waiting on it. The county has received more than $813 million in disaster recovery funds through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Its Pinellas Recovers program…
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Nearly ten months after the city opened applications for Sunrise St. Pete, residents still have no clear public answer to a basic question: how many people have actually been paid? The city runs the program with $159.8 million in federal disaster recovery money from HUD, meant to help residents recover from Hurricanes Idalia and Helene.…
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Two years after Hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through South Hillsborough County, residents are not waiting for the next storm to find out whether the recovery system will work better. A locally organized coalition is drawing up its own plan. The back-to-back 2024 storms left parts of the SouthShore community with severe flooding, downed trees,…
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Nearly two years after Hurricanes Helene and Milton battered the Pinellas beaches, the shops on historic Corey Avenue are rebounding, driven by the business owners who stayed and rebuilt. Most businesses along the strip have reopened, and owners say customer traffic is returning. Yvonne Marcus, owner of Art Expo, remembers what she found after Helene.…
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Two years after Hurricane Helene pushed storm surge into parts of Tampa, the city says it has closed out nearly all of the building permits tied to storm repairs. Dozens remain open. According to the City of Tampa, its Building Services department received 1,525 permits for Helene damage. Of those, 1,463 have been closed, about…
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Two years after Hurricane Helene pushed several feet of storm surge into South Hillsborough County, the Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin is back in business — but not before taxpayers and private donors together covered a repair bill north of $300,000. The nonprofit arts center, which sits near an area that took on roughly four…
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Rhonda Siegel did what conscientious homeowners are told to do. She called her broker before Hurricane Helene made landfall, confirmed she had both homeowners and flood insurance, and was told she was covered. When storm surge hit her one-story Clearwater Beach home on Sept. 26, 2024, she discovered how little that assurance was worth. Siegel…
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Nearly two years after Hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through the Tampa Bay area, Clearwater is still fronting the cost of its own recovery while it waits on Washington to make good on $9.3 million in promised FEMA reimbursement. City officials say the bureaucratic process remains ongoing even as residents have largely put their lives…
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Manatee County has $252 million in federal disaster recovery money on the table for homeowners still repairing damage from Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton — and when the county held a public hearing this week on how to spend it, exactly one resident showed up. The hearing, held Wednesday, was meant to gather feedback on…
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The Safety Harbor Pier reopened this week after a nearly two-year closure, giving residents back a waterfront fixture that Hurricane Debby damaged and Hurricane Helene ultimately destroyed during the 2024 storm season. City officials confirmed the rebuilt pier came in under budget, with a final price tag below $1.26 million — a detail worth highlighting…
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After watching hurricanes Helene and Milton rack up as much as $300,000 in damage to a single city building in 2024, Bradenton Beach is trying something refreshingly simple: spend a little now to avoid paying a lot more later. The city has installed a Tiger Dam system at its public works building, a barrier made…
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Time is nearly up for Pinellas County residents hoping to tap into an unusual pot of federal disaster money that helps hurricane survivors buy homes instead of just repairing them. The Pinellas Recovers Homebuyer Assistance Program is accepting applications through Friday, offering eligible residents up to $80,000 in down payment assistance using federal disaster recovery…
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved nearly $55 million to support resilience and recovery projects across Florida, including funding earmarked for the Tampa Bay region. The award is part of a broader $584 million nationwide investment FEMA announced this month through its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, its Public Assistance program, and its…
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Treasure Island has secured an additional $2.5 million in state funding to build a new public safety facility, nearly two years after Hurricane Helene destroyed the building that once housed the city’s fire rescue and police departments. The 1957-era building took on roughly three feet of floodwater during the 2024 storm, leaving it a total…
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A new $2 million state appropriation will help fund stormwater improvements in Shore Acres, one of St. Petersburg’s most flood-prone neighborhoods, with city officials planning to accelerate construction of a major resiliency project. The funding, included in Florida’s 2026-27 state budget, will support the Shore Acres Denver Street Storm Damage Improvements project. The project is…
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Manatee County homeowners recovering from storm damage caused by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton have more time to apply for financial assistance through the Lasting Manatee Home Recovery Program after county officials extended the application deadlines. The program is funded by a $252 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and…
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September 26th and October 9th will mark the two-year anniversaries of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. But even twenty-three months after the destruction that both storms fiercely unleashed, there are still homeowners trying to recover. Although much of the Tampa Bay area, including Pinellas County, has rebuilt and rebounded, a substantial number of residents remain uncertain…
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A contested plan to change beachfront development rules in Treasure Island is on hold again after city commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday night to delay a decision. The proposed Planned Development ordinance would allow property owners to seek customized approval for individual redevelopment projects. Much of the debate centers on the historic Thunderbird Beach Resort, which…
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Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene flooded thousands of homes across Tampa Bay, many Florida homeowners remain stuck in a holding pattern as they wait for decisions on home-elevation grants through the state’s Elevate Florida program. The program, administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and funded through federal mitigation grants, was created to…
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Nearly two years after Hurricanes Helene and Milton forced it to close, Sunset Beach Pavilion on Treasure Island is preparing to welcome the public again. The pavilion’s official reopening is scheduled for June 4, with a celebration featuring food trucks and live music on the beach. Restoration work began in January. Hurricane Helene flooded the…
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St. Petersburg’s Northeast Sewer Plant has completed a $67 million upgrade that public works officials say allows it to withstand a 15-foot storm surge — more than double the surge that forced it offline during Hurricane Helene. The plant was shut down for the first time during Helene’s 6.3-foot storm surge in 2024, causing one…
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More than 18 months after Hurricane Helene battered the Seventh Avenue Pass-a-Grille Pier in St. Pete Beach, the beloved landmark remains closed — and residents are losing patience. The pier was damaged by Helene’s storm surge in September 2024, which buckled and dislodged several planks. Since then, it has sat idle, frustrating locals who say…
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Hillsborough County commissioners have approved $70 million in stormwater and infrastructure improvements as part of the county’s “Rebuilding For Tomorrow” campaign, aimed at reducing flood risk after a 2024 hurricane season that inundated neighborhoods across the region. The funding comes from a larger federal disaster recovery grant and will support projects in communities including Seffner,…
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A debate over the future of Tom and Kitty Stuart Park in Madeira Beach has emerged as the city works to rebuild the beachfront property nearly 18 months after Hurricane Helene devastated it. The city’s Public Works department says it plans to restore the park to its pre-Helene condition, including an upgraded restroom. The proposed…
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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…
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More than a year after Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated Pinellas County’s Gulf Coast communities, four barrier-island cities — St. Pete Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Treasure Island, and Madeira Beach — are each being led by city managers who weren’t in place when the storms hit. In each case, leadership turnover followed public outcry, staff…
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Pinellas County officials are urging residents to apply for hurricane recovery assistance, as a significant portion of an $813 million federal grant remains unspent. The funding, distributed through a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development community block grant, is intended to help homeowners and renters recover from Hurricane Idalia in 2023 and Hurricanes Helene…
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The Seahorse Restaurant reopened this month after nearly 1-1/2 years of recovery work following hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. The 88-year-old beachfront restaurant, established in 1938, is considered an iconic fixture in Pass-a-Grille, according to owner and general manager Anayeri Gomez. Hurricane Helene brought 7 feet of water into the building, and Hurricane Milton…
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An unusually strong cold snap sweeping through the Tampa Bay region this winter is now creating additional obstacles for homeowners still recovering from the destructive 2024 hurricane season, according to local officials and construction experts. Temperatures that have dipped well below seasonal norms — with sub-freezing lows and forecasts of 20s in some areas —…
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More than a year and a half after back-to-back hurricanes struck Tampa Bay—Helene and Milton—residents who opted into Elevate Florida continue to wait for federal approval. The program, administered by the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), received over $400 million in federal funding, primarily through FEMA programs such as the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.…
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If you’re a Pinellas County homeowner who watched Hurricanes Helene and Milton turn your place into a soggy mess last fall, you know the drill: Floodwaters recede, but the real nightmare? Getting back to normal. It’s been over a year since those back-to-back beasts slammed the Gulf Coast in September and October 2024, leaving thousands…
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Treasure Island city commissioners this week denied a request from the owners of Thunderbird Beach Resort to rebuild taller following hurricane damage. The landmark hotel has been closed since Hurricane Helene, with owners reporting that damage from Helene and Milton was catastrophic, affecting 80 percent of the property. The nearly two-acre waterfront property is located…
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The City of Tampa began accepting applications Monday for a new program offering financial recovery assistance to homeowners affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The Homeowner Hurricane Assistance program provides up to $30,000 to eligible residents for home repairs or reimbursement of hurricane-related expenses. The city allocated $2 million from its general fund for the…
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Construction is underway at Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina as part of a $43.5 million reconstruction project that aims to modernize the facility used by charter boats, tour companies, and fishermen. The project will add 165 new boat slips, ticket kiosks, a marina walk and an updated fuel office. Pinellas County is contributing $7.5 million toward…
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The Postcard Inn on the Beach, which was destroyed by Hurricane Helene last year, will reopen as The Luce Hotel, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, following a partnership between developers and Marriott. The iconic beachfront property was undergoing renovations when Hurricane Helene struck and had been scheduled to complete renovations in January 2025. The hurricane damage…
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The Beachcomber hotel and adjacent Jimmy B’s Beach Bar will reopen Thursday evening, more than a year after sustaining severe damage from Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The 102-room hotel features two heated pools, beach amenities, and a boardwalk-style bar with live music open to the public. Jimmy B’s is hosting a four-day welcome back…
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Pinellas County residents affected by Hurricanes Idalia, Helene, and Milton will soon be able to apply for assistance from an $813 million Community Development Block Grant awarded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant addresses widespread damage from the three storms, with Hurricane Helene causing over 33,000 homes to be damaged in…
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The Town of Indian Shores has approved a tentative $6.56 million budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, reflecting financial impacts from hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. The Town Council voted 4-0 to adopt the budget and maintain the property tax rate at 1.8700 mills per $1,000 of assessed property value. Council member Nicholas Menchise…
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Floridians who suffered storm damage last year from the 2024 hurricane season are facing fast-approaching deadlines to file insurance claims. According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, more than 436,000 claims have already been submitted from the storms. But for those who haven’t filed yet, time is running out. State law allows one year…
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In response to the widespread damage caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, officials and homeowners in Pinellas County are moving ahead with elevating homes and implementing stricter floodplain standards — part of what authorities say is a longer-term strategy to protect lives and property. What’s happening Why it matters Challenges and community impact What comes…
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The City of Tampa has launched a project to restore the fishing pier at Ballast Point Park, which was damaged during the 2024 hurricane season. Engineering reports found the 970-foot pier does not need to be rebuilt from the ground up. Instead, crews will carry out a complete restoration, replacing all pier boards and reinforcing…
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Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene slammed into the Gulf Coast, redevelopment plans are beginning to reshape parts of Pass-a-Grille, where some of the beach town’s most recognizable properties remain storm-damaged. The former “Barracks by the Sea” apartments—historic World War II-era Army barracks converted into rental units—still sit partly boarded up. Now, the property owners…
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Almost 11 months after Hurricane Helene battered the City of St. Petersburg and well beyond, some homeowners say they’re still waiting on the city to approve repair permits — even as another hurricane season gains momentum. Back in March, city officials admitted there were about 1,400 storm-related permits stuck in the pipeline. At the time,…
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When Hurricane Helene tore through Hudson, Florida last year, Steve Papola’s home was no match for the floodwaters. Seven feet of storm surge devastated the property—warping wood floors, soaking drywall, and frying the electrical system. Determined not to relive the destruction, Papola is now rebuilding with resilience in mind. Helene became the deadliest U.S. hurricane…
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