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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Shore Acres neighborhood in St. Petersburg was hit hard by flooding from Hurricane Helene.
Many homes remain empty, some were demolished, and others are in the process of being elevated.
What You Need To Know
- Shore Acres in St. Petersburg was heavily flooded by Hurricane Helene
- Florida’s Elevate program, which helps homeowners raise houses to avoid future flooding, closed after two months
- Over 10,000 applied, but less than 20% will receive assistance
- Residents like Arturo Finegold face financial challenges after being denied aid
Thousands of homeowners applied for the state’s Elevate Florida program, which provides funds to help raise houses and avoid future flooding.
But so many applied that the program was shut down after just two months.
Applications opened in February, and more than 10,000 Floridians applied. State officials say less than 20% of applicants will get assistance, meaning some families are just now finding out if they will receive the help—or be denied.
One of those residents is Arturo Finegold. He hasn’t lived in his home since Hurricane Helene flooded it. Much of the interior had to be gutted, and repairs began early this year as he tried to come in under the threshold of “substantial damage.” He hoped that approach would allow him to move back in sooner.
Finegold paused those repairs after learning about Elevate Florida and applied for the program in February. Since then, he and his wife have lived in a small studio apartment. Last week, he got word his application had been denied, which he believes is because his home was not classified as substantially damaged.
The program prioritizes homes with three or more flood losses, homes inside FEMA special flood zones, and properties officially deemed substantially damaged.
While Finegold was denied, many in Shore Acres will still benefit. Kevin Batdorf, president of the Shore Acres Civic Association, said 555 residents in the neighborhood applied. He estimates between 100 and 150 will ultimately receive funding.
“There were 12,000 applications statewide,” Batdorf said. “They’re hoping maybe 2,000 are approved—I’m thinking closer to 1,500, maybe even less.”
For Finegold, that means facing a big financial burden if he wants to elevate his home out of pocket. Still, he says he’s committed to staying in the neighborhood.
“Here we go again—gotta figure out what to do,” he said.
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Jeff Van Sant
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