Tag: Hurricane Milton
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
-
Pinellas County is set to receive $29.4 million in federal funding to repair creeks damaged by Hurricane Milton. County commissioners unanimously approved an agreement last month with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to accept the grant through its Emergency Watershed Protection Program. Pinellas County Public Works Director Kelli Hammer Levy told commissioners the funding will…
·
-
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…
·
-
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,…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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 —…
·
-
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.…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
The Tampa Bay Rays will return to Tropicana Field for the 2026 season after spending 2025 at Steinbrenner Field while their home stadium underwent repairs from Hurricane Milton damage. The team announced Wednesday that repairs to the stadium’s roof and interior are ongoing, with a planned home opener against the Chicago Cubs on April 6,…
·
-
St. Petersburg’s Albert Whitted Airport remains without replacement hangars more than a year after Hurricane Milton destroyed three structures that housed dozens of tenants, prompting city council members to push for faster action on rebuilding. The hurricane’s 100 mph winds destroyed 32 storage units, and the airport has lost approximately $275,000 in rental revenue to…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
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…
·
-
Tropicana Field is one step closer to getting a new roof after Hurricane Milton shredded the old one. For weeks, crews have been laying netting and preparing for the job. Installation of the first of 24 roof panels—each weighing about 4,800 pounds—has now begun, a St. Petersburg city spokesperson confirmed. Because of the weight, the…
·
-
St. Petersburg is aiming to have hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field ready for the Tampa Bay Rays’ 2026 home opener, now officially set for April 6 against the Chicago Cubs. Major League Baseball released its schedule on Tuesday, giving the city a firm deadline to finish the ambitious repairs. Roof work is already underway, with the city…
·
-
When Jim and Rachelle Pennington bought their house in St. Pete’s Oak Ridge neighborhood in March of 2001, they imagined it would be their forever home—a safe and comfortable place to grow and raise a family. The property had everything the young couple needed to build a firm foundation for the kids they had planned…
-
Nearly a year after Hurricane Milton brought devastating floods to neighborhoods around Lake Bonny, the City of Lakeland has released a long-awaited independent report analyzing what went wrong—and what must change to prevent future disasters. The storm left streets underwater and homes inundated, forcing families to evacuate and sparking concerns about the city’s ability to…
·
-
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…
·
-
After hurricanes Helene and Milton struck Florida last year, countless Tampa Bay residents found themselves caught in a maze of delays—waiting for permits, answers on substantial damage letters, and direction on who was responsible for getting them back in their homes. Eight months later, many of those same homeowners are still displaced, stuck in limbo.…
·
-
Just days into the 2025 hurricane season, Tampa International Airport officials say the facility is ready to respond swiftly if tropical weather threatens the region. Much of this year’s preparedness is based on lessons learned from last year’s double blow by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which tested the airport’s emergency protocols. Coordinating closely with weather…
·
-
As the 2025 hurricane season approaches, residents of the Tampa Bay region, particularly in Pinellas County, are bracing for what forecasters predict could be another active year. After the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, which caused unprecedented flooding, widespread power outages, and billions in damages across the region, local officials and…
·
-
With hurricane season starting Sunday, Pinellas County employees are completing their final training sessions to operate emergency shelters. Knowing where to go during a storm can be lifesaving, and local officials are making sure shelters are ready when residents need them most. “We had around 1,700 people for Hurricane Helene and close to 14,000 for…
·
-
Last fall, still stinging from the damage wrought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Crowder Brothers Ace Hardware in St. Pete Beach found itself in the same boat as many of its customers—dealing with extensive flood damage and a long road to recovery. The store was forced to close for two months as employees worked…
·
-
Nearly a year after a series of hurricanes battered the Tampa Bay area, the city of Gulfport is still grappling with the aftermath. Hundreds of boats were wrecked or washed ashore, and while significant progress has been made in cleanup efforts, the scars remain—both environmental and financial. Gulfport has removed over 50 derelict vessels from…
·
-
In Bay Pines’ Harbor Lights Club, a once-idyllic waterfront mobile home park, the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton is still painfully evident. Nearly eight months since the storms hit, broken docks, shattered homes, and sunken boats remain scattered across the community. “It was like a resort to be down there,” longtime resident Victor Docherty…
·
-
On May 20, St. Pete city officials and business leaders convened at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital for the annual State of the Economy meeting. Since last year, St. Petersburg has weathered significant setbacks—including two major hurricanes, Helene and Milton, and the collapse of the Tampa Bay Rays redevelopment deal. In response, the city is…
·
-
In the seven months following a punishing 2024 hurricane season, residents of Pinellas’ barrier islands are approaching hurricane preparedness with renewed urgency. On May 7, the fourth floor of the Indian Shores Municipal Center was filled to capacity for “Storm Ready: Hurricane Awareness and Preparation,” an annual event hosted for the communities of Indian Shores…
·
-
Manatee County is inviting residents to help shape how it will use a $252 million federal grant for long-term hurricane recovery and resilience. The initiative, called Lasting Manatee, is focused on addressing unmet needs from the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton in 2024. Funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban…
·