Candace BarnetteHillsborough County, Florida, approved a draft action plan on June 4, addressing long-term hurricane relief. The plan would use more than $709 million in grant funding to address long-term housing concerns, infrastructure improvements and economic revitalization in Hillsborough County.
The Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant funding comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is intended to aid the most heavily impacted and distressed communities after a natural disaster.
The estimated damage in Hillsborough County from both Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 totals more than $2.4 billion. An unmet needs analysis found catastrophic damage left the county with $1.8 billion in unmet needs. The current HUD grants are meant to address the needs of those communities that are unlikely to self-recover.
Of these funds, 70% is expected to benefit low- and moderate-income populations. This allocation will be put toward projects that not only address current disaster recovery but also mitigate long-term risks, such as flooding and increased storm activity.
Considering the areas the analysis named most vulnerable, housing and infrastructure improvements will receive the most funding. Homeowners can get up to $350,000 to repair or replace damaged properties.
Up to $25 million per project is allocated to the development of affordable rental units. The rental properties will require a minimum size of 20 units up to a maximum of 300. Total funding for rental projects is $120.5 million.
The plan sets aside $20 million for special population support programs with up to $15 million for facilities that serve special populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness General infrastructure improvements related to housing are eligible to receive funds ranging from $250,000 to $20 million.
These improvements will focus on fixing current infrastructure vulnerabilities, as well as strengthening resilience to future storms. The remaining HUD funds will be used for commercial property rehabilitation, workforce development, business technical assistance, public services and planning.
HUD requires the action plan to be implemented within a six-year timeline. Hillsborough County has already hosted four public educational meetings, five public hearings and a three-day internal planning workshop during the public comment period. This aligns with HUD’s requirement for robust public engagement during the development of the action plan.
County officials will gather public feedback with community meetings throughout June. The public can also submit comments through email during this feedback period.
Photo by MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC via Wikimedia Commons
