Hillsborough County commissioners on Dec. 17 approved a $3,000,764 local housing fund agreement to cover replacement of electrical infrastructure at the Homes of Regency Cove, a 431‑unit, 55‑plus manufactured housing community.

Cheryl Howell, assistant county administrator for Community Impact, told the board the county funding covers costs from each home to the public or TECO infrastructure and is intended to prevent long‑term displacement of vulnerable senior residents after extensive hurricane damage and prolonged outages. Howell said staff evaluated feasibility, FEMA constraints and affordability considerations before bringing the request to the board.

Residents and community leaders gave detailed testimony during the public comment period about months‑long power interruptions, damaged underground wiring and the inability of many residents to absorb a $10,000–$15,000 special assessment. "We were without power for almost two months," said a Regency Cove resident, describing repeated outages and continuing power loss during rains.

The board discussed FEMA limitations and broader countywide priorities for disaster recovery funds; several commissioners emphasized honoring applicants who were already in permit or application queues for other programs. Commissioner Cohen noted the project met staff eligibility and that local housing funds were intended for countywide use to prevent displacement.

After discussion the board approved the local housing funding agreement; the motion carried 6–0. Staff said they will continue outreach and evaluate remaining CDBG‑DR and other recovery funds for similar needs elsewhere in the county.