ST. PETERSBURG, FL (March 11, 2025) – The City of St. Petersburg is making multiple disaster recovery assistance programs – totaling $2.2 million – available to residents, small businesses, and City employees recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The assistance programs are being funded by a combination of state and federal monies and the City’s We Are St. Pete Fund.
“As we continue our long-term recovery efforts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, I am excited to announce additional disaster assistance programs for our residents, small businesses, and city employees,” said Mayor Kenneth T. Welch. “The City of St. Petersburg stands with our community as we rebuild and we look forward to leveraging city, state, and federal funds in our disaster recovery and resiliency efforts. My administration remains committed to continuing to identify all available resources to help our residents and businesses recover.”
“The We Are St. Pete fund is a testament to the resilience and generosity of our community,” said Duggan Cooley, CEO of Pinellas Community Foundation. “Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the recovery efforts and help St. Pete come back even stronger.”
How the Funds Will Help
– Financial assistance will be provided through multiple targeted programs:
Housing Disaster Assistance Program: Grants and loans up to $30,000 will help eligible households cover storm damage repairs, insurance deductibles, and rental or utility arrears.
– Small Business Disaster Assistance Program: Grants ranging from $2,500 to $15,000 will help local businesses recover from storm-related damages, replace lost inventory and equipment, and manage temporary relocation expenses.
– Employee Housing Disaster Assistance Program: Support will help City of St. Petersburg employees impacted by the hurricanes.
Who is Eligible?
– Eligible residents and business owners can apply for assistance based on income and documented losses:
– The Housing Disaster Assistance Program is open to households earning up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with additional loan funding for households earning up to 140% AMI.
– The Small Business Disaster Assistance Program is available to independently-owned businesses in St. Petersburg with 50 or fewer employees that were operational before September 15, 2024.
How to Apply
The Housing Disaster Assistance Program application is open now. The Small Business Disaster Assistance Program application opens on Wednesday, April 2.
Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-qualified basis. Interested applicants can visit www.stpete.org/recoveryfund to review eligibility requirements and submit an application.
How to Give
The public can support local disaster recovery efforts by contributing to the We Are St. Pete Fund. Donations can be made online through Pinellas Community Foundation at www.pinellascf.org/wearestpete or by texting HOPE to 38316. Every dollar donated goes directly toward assisting those impacted.
For more information on the We Are St. Pete Fund and available assistance programs, visit www.stpete.org/recoveryfund.