Hillsborough's $709M hurricane recovery program draws nearly 1,800 applicants

Nearly 1,800 Hillsborough County homeowners have applied for federal hurricane recovery assistance, but extensive paperwork and approval requirements have slowed the process of getting help to residents still recovering from the 2024 storms.

The county's Rebuilding for Tomorrow program began accepting applications May 1, 2026, with approximately $211 million designated for home repairs and reconstruction following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Through September, 1,776 homeowners had applied, according to WFLA. County officials said in August that funding remained available for approximately 1,300 additional eligible applicants.

South Shore residents weigh in on recovery plans

The homeowner assistance program is part of Hillsborough County's broader $709.3 million federal disaster recovery allocation, which also supports infrastructure improvements, economic revitalization and projects designed to reduce future storm damage.

The county brought its planning process to South Shore on June 13, 2025, with a public hearing at Lennard High School, 2342 E. Shell Point Road in Ruskin. The meeting allowed District 4 residents to comment on the proposed spending plan.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development notified the county of its allocation Jan. 21, 2025, and approved the county's action plan Aug. 29.

All of Hillsborough County was designated a Most Impacted and Distressed area, allowing the full allocation to remain local. Federal rules require at least 70% of the money to benefit low- and moderate-income residents.

Homeowners face lengthy approval process

Residents seeking assistance must document their property ownership, household income and qualifying storm damage. Applications also undergo inspections, environmental reviews and federal compliance checks.

The county program website estimates that the application-to-award process can take up to six months, although individual cases may take longer.

Marlise Tolbert-Jones, a Hillsborough County resident who visited a county pop-up assistance center, described the frustration.

"There's a lot of things that cause people to go through struggles, that unnecessarily struggle," she told WFLA. "When there is money that is available, but you can't get it because of the stipulations."

Kristina Stamm of Thonotosassa became the first homeowner approved for a full rebuild through the program. She applied May 1 and spent nearly three months completing paperwork before receiving approval, FOX 13 reported.

Similar delays have affected neighboring Pinellas County, which received approximately $813 million in federal recovery funding.

As of early October, Pinellas had approved about $110 million but disbursed only $24 million, according to Spectrum Bay News 9.

Pinellas disaster recovery compliance manager Anastasia Sarioglou identified environmental reviews as a major obstacle to distributing funds.

The federal program operates on a reimbursement basis, requiring counties to document eligible expenditures before receiving payment from HUD. That process does not necessarily require individual homeowners to pay for repairs upfront.

Comparable disbursement figures for Hillsborough County could not be confirmed from available public reports.

How residents can apply for assistance

Hillsborough County continues accepting applications from eligible homeowners whose primary residences sustained qualifying hurricane damage.

Household income generally must be at or below 120% of the area median income, with priority given to households earning 80% or less. Properties in regulatory floodways are ineligible.

Depending on the type and extent of damage, qualifying homeowners may receive:

Up to $350,000 for rebuilding or replacement.
Up to $150,000 for home repairs.
$10,000 to $50,000 in reimbursement for eligible repairs already completed.

The county has offered temporary assistance centers, including a Sept. 29 event at the Ruskin Branch Library, to help residents complete applications.

Residents can apply at RebuildingForTomorrow.HCFL.gov or call 813-540-7767.

In-person assistance is also available at the program's service center, 1029 E. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.