Pasco County details broader Better Future investments: $10 million for services and $100 million for new housing

Pasco County officials used the Pasco podcast to outline broader components of the Better Future program beyond individual housing, saying the county will fund economic recovery programs, public services, infrastructure and new housing construction.

"Economic recovery helps small businesses and nonprofits," Chuck Lane said, adding that an economic recovery program is scheduled to roll out in January. Lane said the county will "funnel $10,000,000 to public services" to support caseworkers and homelessness services.

Lane also described a large allocation for new housing: "About $100,000,000 we're budgeted for new housing, and that's new rental housing," he said, estimating that amount could support well over 1,000 new units and also create homeownership opportunities through creative program design.

Officials said infrastructure projects will follow later in the program process and that funds can support projects intended to make the county more resilient to future storms. Tim Lagudi described the program vision as "safer homes, stronger neighborhoods, smarter infrastructure, a county that's better prepared for the next storm."

The podcast did not provide a full list of infrastructure projects, nor a detailed spending plan for the $100 million new housing pool; officials said more program pages and community meetings will provide those details. The county emphasized that some program elements are contingent on HUD rules and on meeting the requirement that 70% of overall funds benefit low-income households.