Construction starts for homes in hurricane recovery program

Construction starts for homes in hurricane recovery program

Pinellas senior Martha Cannon was overcome with gratitude upon hearing the banging and buzzing of hammers and electric saws as workers tore into the ceiling of her storm-damaged East Lake home.

She had applied to other programs, haggled with insurance, but still couldn't find financial help to finish repairs more than a year after hurricanes Helene and Milton flooded her neighborhood - until she applied to Pinellas Recovers.

"I applied to FEMA and actually was denied. I applied to my homeowners insurance and they weren't very cooperative," said homeowner Martha Cannon.

"The Pinellas Recovers program actually is doing the work and I'm so happy and excited about getting my home back together again."

Cannon's home is the first to start construction through the County's People First Home Rehabilitation and Reconstruction program, which offers up to $375,000 for unrepaired damage left over from the 2023-2024 hurricanes.

Construction is set to begin on dozens more in the coming weeks across Pinellas, ranging from replacing storm-damaged flooring to completely rebuilding substantially damaged homes.

The program is part of an $813-million federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery fund for Pinellas County administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

While CDBG-DR programs in many states and counties can take up to 18 months to begin accepting applications and nearly two years for work to start, Pinellas County's programs opened a year after Hurricane Milton's landfall.

The County's program offers a variety of recovery options for homeowners, renters and even local landlords to repair properties, recoup financial losses or relocate.

The Pinellas Recovers program is available to residents throughout the county, except for the City of St. Petersburg, which received its own disaster recovery grant.

More than 7,000 people have applied to the People First programs, with more than 2,000 specifically for home rehab, but the programs have funds to help thousands of additional homeowners.

The online application, along with information on income qualifications and required documents, is available at recover.pinellas.gov.

You can also apply in-person Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at:

• 2600 McCormick Drive, Suite 100, Clearwater
• 5000 Park Street, Suite 4, St. Petersburg

Case managers can also be reached at 727-606-3307 during the same hours.

A majority of the County's federal grant is committed to the People First programs, but additional help for small businesses and nonprofits, as well as investments in local infrastructure, will be announced at a future date.