PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County homeowners affected Hurricanes Helene and Milton have a new place to turn for help. The Homeless Empowerment Program is offering storm recovery housing assistance.
What You Need To Know
Storm recovery housing assistance being offered by Homeless Empowerment Program (HEP)
HEP says qualified applicants will receive financial literacy courses and be assigned an HEP housing navigator
“It’s $100,000 that goes towards anyone who is trying to recover from storm damage, is displaced because of the storm, maybe needs rental assistance or deposit assistance,” said Tawny Swain Castle, vice president of clinical services with HEP.
A donor remaining anonymous multiplied that relief amount.
“They matched another $100,000 on top of that, so we have $200,000,” Swain Castle said. “We were going to serve 25 people, and now we can serve 50 people.”
United States Air Force veteran Troy Corbin was one of the first recipients.
“I’m very grateful for that,” said Corbin, whose Largo home was damaged during the storms last year.
“I had the ceiling collapse, unfortunately, but I fixed that,” said Corbin.
From roof and fence damage to a screen porch blown in, Corbin has already completed some repairs. But he said there are thousands of dollars left in projects to finish and limited funds to do them.
“See how bad it is, it won’t open. It’s warped,” Corbin said, showing us the door to his garage that houses a piece of history.
“This is a US Army 1953 M37 cargo truck from the Korean War,” said Corbin, who is also part of the Florida Military Vehicle Preservation Association.
Repairs made at his home will help get him one step closer to finishing projects to protect his personal property and preserve a piece of history, all while preparing for future storms.
“I’m very thankful that this money is coming,” said Corbin.
Maximum individual distribution amounts are $4,000.
HEP says qualified applicants will receive financial literacy courses and be assigned an HEP housing navigator, who will follow-up to see how things are going with repairs, offer resources and answer questions.
“We really want to embrace the community,” said Swain Castle. “We watched the trauma from the storms last year, and it really means a lot for us to be able to help those in the community.”
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When the Sunrise St. Pete application process opens December 15, residents will have the chance to request a share of nearly $160 million to help them recover from Hurricanes Idalia and Helene.
However, people who live in the Shore Acres neighborhood said they’re doubtful it will provide their community some much-needed relief due to income requirements. Funding for the program comes from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.
A city spokesperson told Spectrum News that HUD specifies that no less than 70% of those funds must go to help low-to-moderate income residents.
What You Need To Know
Applications for the Sunrise St. Pete program open December 15
The federally-funded program can provide financial assistance to help residents recover from Hurricanes Idalia and Helene
Money can go toward home rehab, rebuilding, and elevation, as well as repair reimbursements
While Shore Acres was hit hard by both storms, people who live in the neighborhood tell Spectrum News they’re skeptical the program will provide them relief due to income requirements
“They’re income-based. So, they’re not going to qualify for everybody,” said resident Barry Rubin.
Rubin said Helene marked the first time his home flooded in the nearly 30-years he’s lived in the flood-prone Shore Acres.
“Everything is brand new. It’s actually a new house on a very old house shell,” he said of the state of his house today.
According to Rubin, “everything” includes the walls, floor, paint, fixtures, and electricity – to name just some of the work done to his home.
Sunrise St. Pete is meant to make at least part of recovery easier for residents. It offers financial assistance to rehab, rebuild, and elevate their homes, as well as reimbursements for repairs.
A city spokesperson said that per HUD requirements, households that earn up to 80% of the area median income will be given priority. For a family of four, that works out to a yearly income of about $83,000. Some help will also be available for those earning up to 120% AMI, which comes out to about $125,000 for a four-person household.
Because of that, Shore Acres Civic Association President Kevin Batdorf said he thinks the program will have very little impact in the neighborhood, despite it being hit hard by both storms. Batdorf said the more than 1,200 homes that flooded in Shore Acres during Idalia made up 82% of the total flooded properties in the city during that storm, and residents are still recovering from Helene. Erin Knight said she and her husband were finally able to get back into their home after it was inundated by up to five feet of floodwater.
“We literally were in a camper. It was a 21-foot camper. It was my husband and me and two dogs from January until about a month ago,” Knight said.
Knight told Spectrum News she was planning to apply for Sunrise St. Pete but was discouraged by news of the income requirement.
“We still had to fork out $20,000 on top of around $100,000 out of our own pocket to rebuild this house and then put up flood gates, but yet somehow, we don’t qualify for any of the help,” she said.
Both Knight and Rubin, along with other neighbors, said they still planned to apply just in case there’s a chance they could see some funding.
“I’m cautiously, cautiously optimistic, but ‘cautious’ is the main word,” said Rubin.
While he realizes Sunrise St. Pete is funded by HUD dollars and not city funds, Rubin said he’d like to see the St. Pete work with the federal government to let them know many in hard-hit coastal areas won’t meet income requirements.
Six North Carolina workers receive Governor’s Award for Excellence for rescuing motorists.
They opened median gates and guided trapped vehicles off collapsing eastbound lanes.
Teams cleared the road within 85 minutes without any vehicles plunging into Pigeon River.
More than a hundred cars and trucks were trapped on Interstate 40 as the flooded Pigeon River began devouring the highway last fall.
Swollen from the remnants of Hurricane Helene, the river swept away trees, guardrails and pavement, as more than a mile of the eastbound lanes disappeared on the North Carolina side of the Tennessee state line.
But none of the cars or trucks fell into the river.
Now six North Carolina employees — five from the Department of Transportation and one state trooper — have received the highest award given to state workers for their efforts that day. NCDOT engineers Scottie Coggins, David Hall and Austin Phillips, IMAP drivers Garret McFalls and Christopher Strader and trooper Joe Henderson received the Governor’s Award for Excellence at a ceremony in Raleigh on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
“They went above and beyond to serve in the line of duty to protect the public and to act as heroes,” said Chris Lee, the deputy engineer for the NCDOT division that includes Pigeon River Gorge. “They saved the day, and we’re so proud of them, and we can’t thank them enough.”
The first 911 calls reporting problems with I-40 in the gorge came in just before noon on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. The remnants of Helene had dumped historic amounts of rain on the already saturated mountains of Western North Carolina and cracks appeared in the pavement as the eastbound lanes of I-40 began to break apart.
McFalls, Strader and Henderson responded to those calls. Coggins, Hall and Phillps had gone into the gorge to check on a rest area that had lost power and were soon pitching in.
“I actually watched the ground fall out from underneath the guardrails and the guardrails dangling there and the pavement cracking,” Hall said in a video made for the awards ceremony. “And we knew we had to get the people off the highway.”
A Haywood County sheriff’s deputy looks over the median barrier on Interstate 40 toward the missing eastbound lanes in the Pigeon River Gorge. Photo taken Oct. 17, 2024, three weeks after the remnants of Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina. Richard Stradling rstradling@newsobserver.com
The four-lane road winds along the narrow valley in Pisgah National Forest, perched on a shelf blasted into the side of the mountains. A concrete jersey barrier separated the east and westbound lanes, so as the failing highway brought eastbound traffic to a stop it had nowhere to go, trapped between the barrier and the raging river.
But about 3 miles from the state line was a metal gate in the median for emergencies like this. Some drivers figured out how to work the crank to open it enough to let cars through one at a time. McFalls, Coggins, Hall and Phillps opened the remaining sections to create a hole big enough for tractor-trailer trucks to swing through to the safety of the westbound lanes.
As more of the highway fell into the river, the six state employees, along with others, directed traffic through the gate, sometimes coaxing panicked drivers to carefully back up or take turns moving forward. According to the time stamp on a video shot by a Tennessee transportation worker who came to help, the eastbound lanes were clear about an hour and 25 minutes after the first 911 calls.
Six state employees who received the Governor’s Award for Excellence for their roles in preventing cars and trucks on Interstate 40 from falling into the Pigeon River after Hurricane Helene. They are, from left, state trooper Joe Henderson and NCDOT employees David Hall, Scottie Coggins, Austin Phillips, Garret McFalls and Christopher Strader. NCDOT
Speaking about the effort to get cars and trucks off I-40 in the weeks after Helene, the men honored this week all downplayed their individual roles and said it was a team effort. Henderson, the state trooper, even declined to speak to a reporter because he didn’t want to draw attention to himself, said his supervisor, 1st Sgt. B.E. Hipp.
But Hipp said at the time that he hoped to find a way to recognize what he considered heroism by Henderson and others who helped clear the road.
“Every day that I drive down to that gorge, I’m amazed that we didn’t lose anybody,” he said. “And I’m grateful and thankful for their actions.”
State honors another act of heroism during Helene
The Governor’s Awards for Excellence are given each year to state workers for outstanding accomplishments beyond their normal duties. Twenty-two received the awards this year in six categories. The award for those on I-40 was for “safety and heroism.”
Seven Wildlife Resources Commission employees also received the award in that category for their actions during Helene.
All seven were working at the Armstrong State Fish Hatchery in a remote area of McDowell County north of Marion when the storm hit. They tried in vain to save the hatchery and the 600,000 trout it housed as Rose and Armstrong creeks became torrents.
But they were able to save a neighbor, Michael Boone, whose house was destroyed by a landslide that carried him down Roses Creek toward the hatchery. As Boone clung to a piece of his house, he called for help. The hatchery employees were able to pull him to safety, tend to his wounds and call in a helicopter to get him medical attention.
“We get all this credit for saving Mike’s life, but he saved ours, too,” said Kailee Winters, fish culturist at the hatchery. “Because had he not been injured and needed immediate medical attention, I don’t know when we would have gotten out.”
Along with Winters, the other honored hatchery employees are Chuck Melton, Spike Gouge, Doug Arfmann, Luke Clarke, Jacob Setterlind and Elijah Winters.
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 1:42 PM.
Richard Stradling covers transportation for The News & Observer. Planes, trains and automobiles, plus ferries, bicycles, scooters and just plain walking. He’s been a reporter or editor for 38 years, including the last 26 at The N&O. 919-829-4739, rstradling@newsobserver.com.
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa residents seeking assistance with hurricane recovery can now apply for the city’s Homeowner Hurricane Assistance program.
Applications opened Monday morning for the new city program that awards up to $30,000 to eligible homeowners hit by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton. Homeowners in the hardest-hit zip codes, including Forest Hills/North Tampa, Palmetto Beach and South of Gandy, will be prioritized.
The city of Tampa has $2 million from the city’s general fund they plan to use for this new program. Residents who still need to make home repairs or want to be reimbursed for prior hurricane-related repairs are encouraged to apply.
To be eligible, you have to be a homeowner with homestead status living within Tampa’s city limits. Household income cannot exceed 140% of the area’s median income, though the city is willing to accept applications for those who make up to 10% more. That means the cap sits at roughly $128,500 for two-person households and just over $160,000 for a four-person household.
Forest Hills resident April Self said many of her neighbors are still trying to repair their homes and are at varying stages of recovery.
“I know so many people… including us, to keep things moving we had to tap into our 401K and IRA,” Self said.
She added that her home flooded with a mix of rainwater and sewer water. She says the city’s storm pumps failed to turn on when the power went out, a separate issue the city is currently working on.
In July, the city confirmed they will rent eight backup generators for hurricane seasons to ensure storm pumps will remain running when the grid loses power.
Looking at the income restrictions of the new Tampa program, Self says she and some of her neighbors in need won’t qualify for the funding.
“When you actually see the numbers you’re deflated again,” she said. “Everything we’ve applied for we’ve been denied… we’ve only been able to get a little help from FEMA and we had to take out a second mortgage that’s higher than our first mortgage.”
She’s hoping the city takes a second look at property values in the area and how they compare to income requirements.
Those looking to apply for funding or see if they quality can do so through the city of Tampa directly.
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The deadline to appeal substantial damage designations is quickly approaching for residents who had their homes take on water in last year’s back-to-back hurricanes.
118 residents at Gateway Mobile Home Community still have substantial damage determination
Pinellas County says they will still take appeals after initial Oct. 31 deadline
Approximately 70% of block or wood frame homes that filed a reassessment were reversed to not substantially damaged
Depreciated value of older mobile homes makes appeal harder
“October 31 is not a hard deadline,” Carkeet wrote. “Some earlier letters referenced that date, but current and future communications no longer do. The County continues to accept and review appeals, and it will keep working with affected residents and mobile home park communities. We strongly encourage residents to submit appeals and supporting documents as soon as practical.”
Kerry Rumple has owned her home at the Gateway Mobile Home Park off 4th Street in Pinellas County for the last eight years. She says during the hurricanes, there was puddling on her floors but none of her appliances, furniture, cabinets or electrical system was affected.
She thought at the time that she was one of the lucky ones.
“I don’t even have water lines on my walls or my baseboards,” she said. “So there’s no reason that my home would be unsafe.”
Rumple says a remediation company came after she dried out the floors and they replaced the vapor barrier and damaged pieces. Months after making the floor repairs, she said she received the substantial damage letter starting that her home did not meet the 49% cost-to-value ratio threshold.
“It’s a 1963, so they say it has no value,” Rumple said. “But my home is not damaged, it’s safe. It’s my home.”
Rumple has been working through the appeals process and stated her case before a special magistrate. She’s waiting for the final ruling.
If the county does not honor the appeal, Rumple will need to tear down or leave her home by June of next year.
In all, Carkeet says approximately 1,000 homes have a determination of substantial damage in unincorporated Pinellas County. About 80% of them are manufactured/mobile homes.
“The reassessment process has shown to be an effective step for a homeowner to pursue the reversal of the initial SD determination. Approximately 70% of SF homes (block or wood frame) that filed a reassessment were reversed to not substantially damaged. Manufactured and mobile homes face greater challenges because their values are typically low, largely due to age-related depreciation,” Carkeet said in a written statement.
“There were mobile homes that took on water in the living space that were not deemed substantially damaged. The age of the structure is typically the key determining factor. Pinellas County has a large percentage of mobile homes from the 1960’s and 1970’s. The depreciated value for older (50+ years) mobile homes will have a market value where a limited scope of work to repair damages can result in exceeding the 49% threshold.”
Darna Lopez, who manages Gateway Mobile Home Park, says she feels the county is using understated home values with high-cost repair expenses in their projections. She hopes they will take another look at the homes that received minimal damage.
“We want to work with the county to see if there are maybe inspections they can do to see that they’re viable, to see how many people we can help through this process so they can live stress-free,” she said.
Carkeet encourages anyone wishing to appeal their substantial damage designation to begin the process through the county.
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — From residents rebuilding their homes themselves to professionals hired to do the job, a lot of lessons learned from last year’s hurricanes are being put into play this year.
What You Need To Know
More than 46,000 Pinellas County homes damaged in 2024 storms, according to officials with the county
Last year’s storm season provided lessons for many aspects of recovery
Contractors more than doubled the amount of hurricane impact windows installed this year compared to last year
One homeowner marks progress with impact window installation
More than one year since Hurricanes Helene and Milton, homeowner Linda Zolper continues to rebuild. Thursday was a sign of progress with the delivery of more than 40 impact windows that crews started installing.
“I’m excited to see them go in,” said Zolper, who added the decision to increase hurricane preparedness was an easy one.
“I think the storm taught us a lot about how to prepare for the next hurricane and we just wanted to make sure that most of all that the family was safe inside, so the hurricane windows give us a lot more protection from debris flying and the possibility of wind damage,” she said.
From residents to professionals hired to help rebuild, the historic 2024 hurricane season provided lessons for many aspects of recovery.
Licensed contractor TomCo Solutions says it has installed more than twice as many impact windows this year compared to last.
TomCo Vice President Matt Klaus says permits and timelines have been among the biggest challenges this season.
“The magnitude, the number of homes that need to be rebuilt, so what we found there was a lot of shortage of labor. There was a lot of shortage of materials so on and so forth, so it definitely made us change the expectations that we had to set for our clients to take those things into consideration,” said Klaus.
From impact windows to flood barriers, Klaus said homeowners are more inclined to rebuild with additional protective measures, like flood barriers.
For homes that were flooded, Klaus says they have modified communication with clients.
“We’ve really had to change the fact that we incorporate technology to get pictures to them so they can see it, have access, setting up cameras onsite so they can see people that are on the job site,” said Klaus.
This area will be a job site for about another month. Zolper hopes to be back in by December.
“It’s just been a waiting game, really trying to get everything lined up and all the decisions made,” said Zolper.
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — The owners of an Indian Rocks Beach home damaged during Hurricanes Helene and Milton recently made the decision to tear it down and start over.
What You Need To Know
Homeowners Mary Frances and Chris Gorman say it was a bittersweet decision on how to move forward after the storms
Before demolition began, the Gormans took one final moment inside the house describing what it was like when Hurricane Helene hit
It was decided that tearing down and rebuilding the house was a better option than trying to repair it
Homeowners Mary Frances and Chris Gorman say it was a bittersweet decision on how to move forward after the storms.
“It’s hard, it’s definitely hard seeing it getting destroyed,” Chris Gorman said of their home of eight years being torn down.
“Honestly, I’m starting to tear up a little bit,” Mary Frances Gorman said.
“There was a lot of memories in this house,” Chris said. “And it was a great house — and it was where we first brought our firstborn home. And we’ve just experienced a lot of great memories here.”
Before demolition began, the Gormans took one final moment inside their home, and described what it was like when Hurricane Helene hit.
“Pulling your 1-year-old out of her crib when the water is that close to getting in, I mean gives you a different perspective certainly,” said Mary Frances.
It was that perspective that compelled the couple to move forward the way they are.
“There’s so much damage, from the top to the bottom,” said Chris. “It definitely makes more sense to start anew.”
“We are currently demolishing this house because it was more economical to raze this house to the ground, or to eliminate it, and build a new house back up at flood-plane level,” said Tommy Whitehead, president and CEO of TOMCO Solutions.
“Building something that is going to be safety-wise where we know it needs to be,” said Mary Frances. “It’s not a question of if, it’s when the next storm comes, and what it’s going to be. And you want to make sure you do everything possible to withstand it.”
Whitehead said the process of tearing down and rebuilding a home can be challenging.
“There’s been quite a few challenges here,” he said. “Navigating FEMA, navigating SBA loans and lending, navigating permitting and then the homeowners have to do a lot of research because this is a major financial impact to them and their family.”
Even a year later, families like the Gormans are still feeling the impact of the storms in a variety of ways.
“There’s the pre-storm, and then there’s post-storm, and I want to get beyond and start enjoying and living again, because we just haven’t been,” Mary Frances said.
As the storm moved north through the Gulf into the Big Bend region in late September 2024, waves covered the island.
“Outside the building — eight feet,” said White Hodges.
The reinforced historical building took in four.
Volunteers moved the artifacts but lost everything else.
In their recovery, they found new ways to share the story of the island.
The museum shows remnants of the people who fished the island shores before colonizers arrived.
And it tells the Civil War story with a model of the USS Fort Henry, part of the Union’s naval blockade off Cedar Key.
“The union was going after blockade runners. And that’s when they got too close to the shoreline. And that’s when the militia, the southern militia, they shot at them,” said White Hodges.
A wooden tombstone marked the grave of a Union soldier from the gunboat.
Today, the peaceful waters are the subject of aquaculture at the museum, where the town stands now.
The residents of this small island rebuilt this space.
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Roser Church Food Pantry has been struggling to bounce back following last year’s hurricanes.
What You Need To Know
The Roser Church Food Pantry is experiencing one of its hardest years, still trying to bounce back after getting flooded during Hurricane Helene more than a year ago.
Over the past year, volunteers say they’ve seen a decrease in donations — but an increase in people needing their services.
If you want to donate to the food pantry, you can drop off items at Roser Church in Anna Maria, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The address is 512 Pine Ave.
The church says it’s the only food pantry on Anna Maria Island.
Over the past year, volunteers say they’ve seen a decrease in donations — but an increase in people needing their services.
Wanda Crummey prides herself on keeping everything inside the food pantry at Roser Church organized. It’s a labor that she loves.
“Helping the neighborhood. Making sure that people have food when they need it,” she said.
But the pantry is experiencing one of its hardest years, still trying to bounce back after getting flooded during Hurricane Helene more than a year ago.
“It was devastating. But the reality was you spent an hour saying, ‘This looks like hell.,’” Crummey said. “And then it’s, ‘What are you going to do to fix it?’ I’m from New Orleans, and this is what you do. You pick it up, you move forward.”
They did fix it up and were able to reopen by the end of October last year — but the problem was the loss of food.
“It was a huge dumpster full, so it was probably going to be about, I’d say, 100 cases of food,” she said.
And now, they aren’t seeing enough food donations, leaving shelves bare.
“One, we’re handing out more. Number two, we don’t have as many tourists on the island right now,” she said.
They attribute that loss of tourism to hurricane season last year. Since then, volunteers and church staff like Charles Wade have worked hard to rebuild what was lost.
“We’re just asking for help. I always say this to people — whatever you give from your heart, we do appreciate it,” he said.
And Crummey’s wish is for people to give if they can, to help others in need.
“I hope we’re able to get some more food in so that we can serve more people on the island,” she said. “Because I believe that we’re going to have more people in need as the year goes on and the cost of living increases.”
It’s a hope that Crummey and the rest of the volunteers and church staff are holding on to so they can continue feeding people on the island who need it.
If you want to donate to the food pantry, you can drop off items at Roser Church in Anna Maria, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The address is 512 Pine Ave.
When it comes to painting, Victoria Cooley said it’s all about perspective.
“I want them to feel calm, happy and peaceful,” she said.
Those positive feelings are what she wants someone who purchases one of her pieces to experience.
“You know, I take it seriously that they’re living with my art, and it’s a part of their house,” Cooley said. “So I want people to get a break from things that make them unhappy.”
Painting is her income, and while her husband does receive Social Security checks, she said she relies heavily on festivals to make money.
“We usually do 28 shows per year,” she said.
When last year’s storms forced the cancellation of the St. Armands Fall Fine Art Festival, Cooley was worried. It’s typically one of her biggest shows. Hurricane Helene’s storm surge led to both physical damage and financial concern.
“It was a little bit of a scare,” she said. “Well, because it’s back open, I’m hoping for a lot of foot traffic. I’m most excited about just being here on St. Armands, and the stores are back open.”
The entertainment district has now rebounded, but St. Armands Circle Association Executive Director Rachel Burns said the process has been difficult.
“Last year was devastating for the community,” Burns said. “We had water intrusion into every merchant. It’s something that has never happened in the 100-year history of St. Armands Circle. And it means that not only did merchants lose what they had in stock, they had to rebuild, replace, and we had to wait then for people to want to come back to the area.”
This weekend’s festival provides an opportunity to bring more people back to St. Armands Circle.
“I’ve got the vintage VW bus, and so far, the people that have seen it are just loving it because it’s reminiscent of a time that they remember — when things were a little happier and mellower,” she said.
Cooley is on a mission to share her art, hoping to give people a different perspective and leave them with a smile.
The Fall Fine Art Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, Saturday and Sunday.
The society’s president said it is applying for grants that could provide funding for upgrades to the Belle Haven Cottage to keep it in good condition
Earlier this month, the Anna Maria Island Historical Society reopened the “Belle Haven Historic Cottage.”
Being able to step into a world from the past is what Carolyn Orshak protects.
“We are so excited to have it open. It was a year in the making,” she said.
Orshak is the president of the Anna Maria Island Historical Society.
She said the “Belle Haven Historic Cottage” just opened this month, after volunteers worked hard to restore it.
It was damaged by Helene last September.
“She had to just buckle up and store all of our artifacts that we couldn’t get into the museum yet,” she said.
The cottage sustained some water damage, but the museum was flooded with four feet of water from Helene. Artifacts dating back to the 1800s were damaged — some were destroyed.
“Because it was a very slow, tedious process,” Orshak said. “Every artifact had to be inventoried and cleaned. It took months, it took months.”
Longtime volunteers like Heidi Pratt played a key role in the restoration. She says the renovation also gave the society a chance to make the museum even better.
“I’ve volunteered now for 10 years, and originally this place was jam-packed like an antique store, shelves and things. We’ve had it properly curated. Everything’s in its place, little areas that belong together. It’s perfect,” she said.
Orshak said this 1920s house is a vital piece of history for the island community.
“Children really need to learn our history. Because as we grow into adulthood, we need to understand the things about our world that make it that way, the things that we can do to make it better,” she said.
History serves as a reminder of our past, and Orshak plans on protecting that for years to come.
She says they are applying for grants that could provide funding for upgrades to the Belle Haven Cottage to keep it in good condition.
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Pinellas County will launch its People First programs next week which will prioritize vulnerable residents with lower incomes who have been struggling to recover from last year’s hurricanes.
“if you qualify we want to get money in your hands,” said Brian Scott, Pinellas County Commission Chair. “This is going to be a huge economic lift for this county.”
The programs have been funded by the largest federal storm recovery grant awarded to any local government in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, according to Pinellas County. A total of $813 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The HUD grant also applies to damage from Hurricane Idalia in 2023.
“I really think the program for mobile homes, I think that’s really going to be impactful,” said Scott. “So if you live in a mobile home community and you are affected highly, highly encourage you to apply.”
The first two programs residents will see benefits from are Disaster Relief Reimbursement and Homeowner Reimbursement. Residents earning 80 percent of the area medium income can get up to $15,000 in storm related expenses in the Disaster Relief Reimbursement program.
“If they were paying a mortgage and also rent at the same time, if they had utility expenses, things that were not covered by any other form, FEMA, insurance, anything,” said Matthew Spoor, Pinellas County Assistant Administrator. “We know a lot of low to moderate income individuals, especially in our barrier island communities, lost their jobs, didn’t have jobs for a while. So those things would be covered up to $15,000.”
Residents earning 120 percent of the AMI can get up to $50,000 for code-compliant repairs already completed in the Homeowner Reimbursement Program.
The next two programs to come online are Homeowner Rehabilitation/Reconstruction and Local Landlord program. Owners who qualify can get up to $375,000 to completely replace their home or rental property. Landlords must agree to rent income-qualified tenants.
“For repairs or rehabilitation that have not occurred on the property,” said Spoor. “That could include up to replacing the home.”
The last program will be Homebuyer Assistance, which will provide up to $80,000 for closing costs to purchase a safer home outside flood zones for income eligible residents. The HUD grant calls for 70 percent of the money to be spent on residents with low to moderate incomes. One person earning $58,450 per year qualifies as 80 percent AMI, while another person earning $87,600 qualifies as 120 percent AMI.
“Once we can prove that we’ve satisfied an unmet need in those particular income brackets,” said Scott. ”Then we can apply for waivers because that may not fit everybody.”
Scott said Pinellas County stood up the program quickly and he hopes they can cut checks to residents by Christmas.
“We did this in lightning speed as well. I’ve really got to take hats off to staff and my fellow commissioners,” he said. “If you look down south of us, in Lee County, it took them almost two years to get money in the people’s hands. And we’re doing this in just over a year.”
The People First program is not available to St. Petersburg residents because the city will soon launch its own program called Sunrise St. Pete. All other residents in Pinellas County can begin applying on Oct. 20 at recover.pinellas.gov or by calling 727-606-3307.
Residents can meet with case managers at 2600 McCormick Dr., suite 100 in Clearwater or 5000 Park St., suite 4 in St. Petersburg. Case managers will also be visiting community centers and other locations countywide at pop-up sites in the coming months to help residents apply for the programs.
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Oct. 9 marks exactly one year since Hurricane Milton hit the Tampa Bay area. Several coastal communities felt the impacts of the storm, but so did a lot of inland areas.
Many areas flooded that had never flooded before.
What You Need To Know
Barnali Dixon is a professor at USF St. Pete’s School of Geo Sciences. Her team developed the CRIS-HAZARD app
The app uses flood cameras that look a lot like bird feeding boxes, mounted on trees or posts in flood-prone areas
Dixon and her team have launched even more cameras since soft launching the app last year before Hurricane Helene
Researchers with the University of South Florida were paying close attention, using their flood monitoring app that uses user-submitted pictures along with AI to help calculate the depth of floodwater in some areas. The app, CRIS-HAZARD, launched right before Helene and Milton hit back-to back.
Barnali Dixon is a professor at USF St. Pete’s School of Geo Sciences. Her team developed the app to be better prepared for storms like the ones last year. They also wanted emergency officials to have their data as a source.
“Different depth of water will require different types of rescue vehicles. So if you know what’s the depth of the water in that area, then you can send the appropriate rescue vehicle,” Dixon said.
The CRIS-HAZARD app uses flood cameras that look a lot like bird feeding boxes, mounted on trees or posts in flood-prone areas, as well as inland areas of Pinellas County. The cameras and the app soft launched two weeks before Helene last year. It allows users to report flooding using pictures and location information.
“If you have a way to tell your neighbors or other people, then they can know how to route themselves. This is what I call Waze for flooding,” Dixon said, referencing the popular traffic app.
Researchers want everyone in Pinellas County to use their app. They said if you want to provide some useful data, use something as a reference like a fire hydrant, to demonstrate just how deep floodwaters are.
Dixon’s research assistant, Micheal Licea, can’t build them fast enough.
“It’s like a decoy low key. It’s not gonna draw a lot of attention. People aren’t going to go messing with it if they think it’s a bird box or something for research,” Licea said.
Dixon and her team launched even more cameras since launching last year.
“We selected these sites based on collaboration with the flood plain managers,” Dixon said.
After last year’s storm season, having a bird’s-eye view of rising water with the help of CRIS-HAZARD app users — Dixon is hoping the data they collect will be a go-to for those impacted and those looking to mitigate flooding.
Outreach for the flood reporting app is ongoing in underserved communities that are often overlooked, according to Dixon. She is encouraging people living or visiting Pinellas County to download the app since even an afternoon thunderstorm can easily become a flood event.
LARGO, Fla. — The owners of a Largo gas station damaged during Hurricanes Helene and Milton face a daily fine of $850 for violating several city codes.
What You Need To Know
Some Largo residents are concerned hurricane-damaged property is a safety hazard one year later
Property owners face $850 daily fine for violating several city codes
Code violations include: property maintenance, unsafe structure, unsafe equipment, accessory structure in disrepair, overhang extension in disrepair
People who live near the property on Indian Rocks Road say they are concerned the collapsed canopy and dilapidated state of the site are a safety hazard.
“Just catastrophe, I’m so blown away that something hasn’t happened already,” said Carl Galler who lives nearby.
While the homeowner says he recognizes the recovery process is ongoing across the community, he’s worried about potential dangers of the abandoned space.
“It’s not just an eyesore, it was electrified, the lights came on overnight with that awning sitting sideways, it was left unfenced,” said Galler.
The Largo officials say a fence was installed in April and electricity was turned off in March. They say Code Enforcement went before the Largo’s Special Magistrate in June and September, when they say the property owner was found in violation of several city codes, including: property maintenance, unsafe structure, unsafe equipment, accessory structure in disrepair and overhang extension in disrepair. A daily fine of $850 has been adding up since Aug. 7.
The disrepair concerns Galler. He posted about it online and has received a variety of responses.
“If you don’t like it just look away or it’s fenced,” said Galler.
“I think of my 14-year-old self, 50 years ago and I would have been all over that. Would have been like the biggest, coolest, and the fence would have made it even more attractive,” said the concerned resident, who believes someone should be held accountable soon.
“At the very least, just remediate it, basic remediation, get rid of that awning,” said Galler.
Largo officials say the property owners did apply for a repair permit in July but did not supply all the required documents. A permit was eventually issued in September, but the city officials say there has been no movement on repairs. That permit expires in March.
Officials say they are looking into additional repair and abatement options they can take, since a permit has been issued.
Spectrum Bay News 9 attempted to reach the property owner, but got no response.
A Largo official responded saying, “The city of Largo is taking all necessary steps to bring the property at 1737 Indian Rocks Road South into compliance with the City Codes as well as the Florida Building Code. We understand and share residents’ concerns and remain committed to ensuring public safety and neighborhood quality.”
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Tomorrow marks one year since Hurricane Milton hit our area. The storm took a toll on Manatee County’s barrier islands — especially the businesses.
What You Need To Know
Hurricane Milton took a toll on Manatee County’s barrier islands — especially the businesses
Manager Joey Garbus says Island Lumber and Hardware looks a little different after last year’s storms
Island Lumber and Hardware has seen an uptick in customers during recovery and is looking to a brighter future
The storm took a toll on Manatee County’s barrier islands — especially the businesses.
Mold grew on their wooden floors because their power was out, leaving behind serious damage.
Joey Garbus, manager of Island Lumber and Hardware, says the business has looked a little different after last year’s storms.
“This business has been extremely great for us, definitely. The rush of everybody trying to rebuild their homes has definitely slowed down. But now we’re in the process of helping them rebuild. A lot of people lost houses and had to tear everything down,” he said.
Their business was flooded by Hurricane Helene — and suffered more damage from Hurricane Milton. The building was without power for two weeks. Rebuilding and returning to normal took some time.
But as their business grew in the aftermath of the hurricanes, new opportunities came. Island Lumber and Hardware now has a showroom.
“Since the flood came in, we were able to revamp everything and give the whole store a facelift,” said Garbus.
And inside, there are new products — like hurricane windows for storm season.
“There’s a lot of demand right now for windows, especially out here after the storm, Garbus said. “We finally found someone who would take us on as a buyer.”
Garbus says the company has invested in new software that helps clients visualize their projects. Investments like this all stem from the exposure the business received while helping the community recover.
“Ever since the storm, we’ve seen an uptick in customers saying, ‘Wow, I’ve been here for 20 years and just realized you guys are here. I’ve been going into town this whole time.’ It’s nice to hear more of that,” Garbus said.
He is inspired by this new growth. The help Island Lumber and Hardware provided after last year’s storms has now led to a brighter future for the business.
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — More than a year after Hurricane Helene ravaged the Bay area, one Gulfport restaurant can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The Neptune Grill recently reopened with a staff just as resilient as the newly renovated building.
What You Need To Know
More than a year after Hurricane Helene ravaged the Bay area, one Gulfport restaurant can see the light at the end of the tunnel
It’s been almost 15 years since Dia Vartsakis, and her father Gus, opened the Neptune Grill in Gulfport
The Vartsakis’ dream turned into a nightmare when Helene and Milton swept across the region, all but destroying their restaurant
Flood insurance did help out some. But Dia and her dad have dipped into their savings, taken out loans and swiped their credit cards just to survive. Now, the place is open a few days a week
It’s been almost 15 years since Dia Vartsakis, and her father, Gus, opened their Greek restaurant right in the heart of downtown Gulfport.
But when Helene came to the Neptune Grill, the Roman god of the sea was no protection from the damage of the hurricane.
“When I walked in that day…the countertop, which was quartz, was on the ground,” she said. “And I pretty much walked into (the) patio and it was just a complete, open, blank nothing.”
The Vartsakis’ dream turned into a nightmare overnight. Not only was their restaurant destroyed, they own the building that houses three other shops. All faced similar damage.
It’s been almost 15 years since Dia Vartsakis, and her father Gus, opened their Greek restaurant right in the heart of downtown Gulfport. She said it was tough seeing the business heavily damaged. (Spectrum News image)
“I basically, at that point, thought to myself, ‘Well, I guess [you should] go to bed, because tomorrow is going to be a long day,” Vartsakis said.
She was right. Dia says it took weeks to clean up and months before they received their first building permits.
Once they were approved in February, construction started almost immediately.
Flood insurance did help out some. But Dia and her dad have dipped into their savings, taken out loans and swiped their credit cards just to survive.
“Every piece of equipment is brand new, Vartaskis said. “From refrigeration to cooking equipment. Everything had to be replaced.”
That includes new booths, tables and décor in the dining room. And the walls they’re now reinforced, along with the large hurricane proof windows.
“To know that the structure is sound, and that the weak spots we had are no longer there makes us a little more confident going into the future,” she said. “Hopefully never dealing with a Helene again.”
For now, Neptune is only open a few days a week, running a limited menu. Many of the core staff have returned and so have customers’ appetites.
Despite all the pain, all the hard work, Vartsakis said she can still see the glass half full.
“I got to spend a lot of quality time with my dad,” she said of time they spent together during the rebuild. “And even though a lot of it was what we had to do to get Neptune Grill open, to get the structure put back together, that 30-minute lunch or coffee or whatever was quality time I probably would’ve never had.”
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — North Carolina fire officials are warning this fall wildfire season could be dangerous as debris left from Helene could fuel wildfires.
What You Need To Know
The N.C. Forest Service says debris from Helene could fuel wildfires for the next five to 10 years
Western North Carolina experienced about 822,000 acres of damaged forest land due to Helene, according to officials
Debris on the ground can make it difficult for firefighters to maneuver terrain
The large amount of debris that is still on the ground in western North Carolina can continue to pose a threat for several years, according to the North Carolina Forest Service.
“We experienced roughly 822,000 acres of damaged forest land in western North Carolina,” Philip Jackson, the public information officer for the North Carolina Forest Service, said. ”That ranges from minimal damage to total loss, meaning the trees are on the ground, so there’s another fuel source that’s been lying on the ground for about a year now drying out and becoming more available.”
“It’s not going to be a quick fix, and it’s going to be with us for quite some time,” Jackson added. “I would categorize this as the probably new norm when it comes to the next five or 10 year time period.”
Debris can also make it more difficult for firefighters to battle flames by creating obstacles as they maneuver the terrain.
“It’s in our way,” Jackson said. “We either have to cut through it, remove it and navigate it somehow or we have to find a new way to the fire. As we’re doing that, the fire is obviously spreading. It also makes it much more difficult for us to access certain roads if they’re blocked by trees.”
Debris from Helene played a big role in fueling wildfires in western North Carolina in the spring. Officials said 3,952 wildfires burned in the state between January and May 2025. During the same time period in 2024, there were 2,835 wildfires.
Three large fires formed the Black Cove Complex Fire in March 2025, burning thousands of acres in Henderson and Polk counties and destroying homes and buildings. According to Jackson, the fires grew so fast because of high winds and debris in the forest.
“Wildfires went much bigger than they otherwise would have due to the storm debris,” he said.
The Henderson County Fire Department is preparing for this wildfire season by urging people in their community to take precautions by clearing brush around their homes.
“Clear out the underbrush,” Kevin Waldrup, the Henderson County fire marshal, said. “Clear out dead limbs underneath your trees. [For] your house itself, you can do stuff like clean out the gutters and make sure leaves don’t pile up underneath the deck.”
A North Carolina city was named the “Nicest Place in America.”
Simone Jasper
sjasper@newsobserver.com
A North Carolina city exudes the “true meaning of community” — and it’s been crowned the “Nicest Place in America,” a new report finds.
Asheville ranks No. 1 on a list of places where people show the utmost respect and concern for others, according to Reader’s Digest.
“The Nicest Places initiative called on readers across the country to nominate towns, businesses, and neighborhoods that exemplify goodwill,” the magazine wrote in a Sept. 26 news release. “Asheville stood out after receiving a record number of nominations highlighting how its residents came together following the devastating hurricane in September 2024.”
Reader’s Digest on its website didn’t share how many people voted in this year’s contest but said it’s received thousands of nominations since 2017. In addition to having readers share places that radiate kindness, the magazine turned to a panel of judges to determine the winners.
What makes Asheville, NC, nice?
Asheville topped the list as Reader’s Digest praised the city for its resilience and sense of community, especially after Hurricane Helene. When the deadly storm hit last fall, it knocked down trees and caused catastrophic flooding in parts of Western North Carolina.
“The community’s response, from grassroots relief efforts to neighbors helping neighbors, showcased a powerful culture of self-reliance and mutual aid that defines the city,” the magazine wrote. “Beyond its compassionate response to crisis, Asheville is celebrated for its vibrant arts and cultural scene, stunning Blue Ridge Mountain scenery, and an atmosphere of openness and tolerance.”
As Asheville continues to rebound, CNN Travel named it one of the nation’s best places to visit, and Southern Living said it was one of the South’s favorite destinations. Both of the rankings praised the city for having residents who banded together after the storm.
It’s not the first time the “Nicest Places in America” list has included a North Carolina winner. Last year, a free dental clinic in the mountain town of Cashiers was a finalist, McClatchy News reported.
In the latest contest, these places followed top-ranked Asheville in being named finalists:
Medina, Ohio
Monroe, Louisiana
Peru Amateur Circus in Peru, Indiana
Semicolon Books in Chicago
Here are the judges who helped choose the winners:
Mitch Albom, author
Sandra Clark, nonprofit CEO
Mónica Guzmán, author and senior fellow
Greg Hudnall, past nominator
Bonnie Kintzer, former media CEO
Al Roker, TV weatherman and anchor
McClatchy News reached out to a spokesperson for more information about the rankings and is awaiting a response.
A North Carolina city was named the “Nicest Place in America.”
Simone Jasper
sjasper@newsobserver.com
A North Carolina city exudes the “true meaning of community” — and it’s been crowned the “Nicest Place in America,” a new report finds.
Asheville ranks No. 1 on a list of places where people show the utmost respect and concern for others, according to Reader’s Digest.
“The Nicest Places initiative called on readers across the country to nominate towns, businesses, and neighborhoods that exemplify goodwill,” the magazine wrote in a Sept. 26 news release. “Asheville stood out after receiving a record number of nominations highlighting how its residents came together following the devastating hurricane in September 2024.”
Reader’s Digest on its website didn’t share how many people voted in this year’s contest but said it’s received thousands of nominations since 2017. In addition to having readers share places that radiate kindness, the magazine turned to a panel of judges to determine the winners.
What makes Asheville, NC, nice?
Asheville topped the list as Reader’s Digest praised the city for its resilience and sense of community, especially after Hurricane Helene. When the deadly storm hit last fall, it knocked down trees and caused catastrophic flooding in parts of Western North Carolina.
“The community’s response, from grassroots relief efforts to neighbors helping neighbors, showcased a powerful culture of self-reliance and mutual aid that defines the city,” the magazine wrote. “Beyond its compassionate response to crisis, Asheville is celebrated for its vibrant arts and cultural scene, stunning Blue Ridge Mountain scenery, and an atmosphere of openness and tolerance.”
As Asheville continues to rebound, CNN Travel named it one of the nation’s best places to visit, and Southern Living said it was one of the South’s favorite destinations. Both of the rankings praised the city for having residents who banded together after the storm.
It’s not the first time the “Nicest Places in America” list has included a North Carolina winner. Last year, a free dental clinic in the mountain town of Cashiers was a finalist, McClatchy News reported.
In the latest contest, these places followed top-ranked Asheville in being named finalists:
Medina, Ohio
Monroe, Louisiana
Peru Amateur Circus in Peru, Indiana
Semicolon Books in Chicago
Here are the judges who helped choose the winners:
Mitch Albom, author
Sandra Clark, nonprofit CEO
Mónica Guzmán, author and senior fellow
Greg Hudnall, past nominator
Bonnie Kintzer, former media CEO
Al Roker, TV weatherman and anchor
McClatchy News reached out to a spokesperson for more information about the rankings and is awaiting a response.
Right after Hurricane Helene, we spoke with a Madeira Beach man who saved three of his elderly neighbors from storm surge the night of the storm.
We checked in with him a year later along with one of the people he saved.
Last September, Michael Greenstein detailed the remarkable story of how he waded through floodwaters in the middle of the night, risking his own life to save not one, not two, but three of his elderly neighbors and a cat during Hurricane Helene.
Connie Noren, 87, was one of those neighbors.
“It’s very scary. I didn’t know whether we were going to make it,” she said.
She sat down with Greenstein a year later, and their recollection of that night still very vivid.
Noren remembered how Greenstein saved their neighbor, who’s in her 90s and hearing impaired.
“She would’ve died that night I think, because the water was up to the mattress ,” Noren said.
“Yeah, she was floating on the bed. The bed was floating,” said Greenstein.
Noren said she’s known Greenstein since he was about three years old. She said the night of the storm reminded her of the times her family took Greenstein out on their boat with her grandkids when he was just a little boy.
“He was so mad at me that day because we made him wear a life jacket. And he was just stomping around, because, ‘How come I have to wear a life jacket, and the other guys don’t have to wear a life jacket?’ And I said, Michael, you’re just a little guy you need to,’” Noren said.
During last year’s storms, she laughed and said that those roles reversed.
“Now for him to come save me from the water, that was the joke,” Noren said.
“Yeah, you needed a life jacket that day,” Greenstein said, laughing.
Noren’s waterfront condo filled with water during the storm and it’s still under construction.
Greenstein also rescued Noren’s older son that night. He’s back at home now. The other elderly neighbor moved closer to family in Utah according to Noren.
As for Noren, she says recovery has been difficult.
“I’ve just been going from condo to condo to survive,” she said.
She’s thankful renovations are almost done and even more thankful for her neighbor and friend, Greenstein, who’s had his heroism celebrated twice since we last saw him. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office honored him with two different awards.
Greenstein said so much has changed since last September.
“At the time, I definitely had the adrenaline flowing a few weeks after that,” he said.
The adrenaline rush from those rescues may be over, but his desire to do good in the world after all of this — that’s one of the things, he says, this experience has taught him to focus on everyday.
