At its June meeting the Punta Gorda Historic Preservation Advisory Board voted to support a proposed joint letter urging Elevate Florida and state grant reviewers to treat contributing historic homes in the city as eligible for priority consideration even when a formal "substantial damage" determination is absent.

Board members and staff said the suggested text would come from city and board leaders and be signed by the city manager and Mayor or Vice Mayor alongside the board chair. The proposed letter asks Elevate Florida to "give full and fair consideration to contributing historic homes" because those properties are recognized historic resources and often suffer significant but repairable flood damage.

Board members described the July 1 grant window and said timeliness matters. The board voted to support circulating the stronger joint letter and requested the city include signatures from the city manager and City Council so homeowners could submit the letter with Elevate Florida applications.

Separately, staff and volunteers reported progress on Freeman House and Historic City Hall matters. Danielle Burhell, senior project manager for urban design, read a city manager memo estimating preliminary repair costs for historic City Hall at roughly $3.4 million (adjusted CPI estimate) and said staff would prepare a scope and updated cost estimate. Burhell and other staff also confirmed a draft lease with the Charlotte‑DeSoto Building Industry Association to coordinate donated labor and materials for Freeman House repairs; initial contractor cost estimates reported to council were about $400,000.

Volunteers and preservation advocates told the board they have compiled inventories of Freeman House furnishings and found local craftspeople willing to clean and restore donated furniture if families allow it. "Everything's safe and sound in the building," staff said; volunteers said they have lists of owners and will contact families who donated items so families can choose reclamation or restoration.

The board's endorsement is intended to help homeowners applying to Elevate Florida and to support city‑level work to scope repair costs and identify potential donors and volunteer labor for Freeman House rehabilitation.