Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
City names opioid settlement awardees and outlines disaster relief funds from We Are St. Pete Fund
Summary
City staff presented award recommendations for opioid settlement grants (about $532,000 across seven applications) and summarized the We Are St. Pete disaster relief fund (raising roughly $1,019,000) with program allocations for housing, small business and employee assistance. Council approved the We Are St. Pete program item unanimously.
St. Petersburg officials on Thursday outlined how federal‑ and state‑linked opioid settlement dollars and a local disaster relief fund will be used to support treatment, harm reduction and recovery services and to pay for housing and small business disaster assistance following recent hurricanes.
Jess Bridal, Senior Operations Analyst in Housing and Neighborhood Services, said the city is slated to receive roughly $6 million from opioid settlements over 18 years and has received about $1,089,000 to date. A city grant program opened under that funding stream received 11 applications; a review committee found seven applications (from five organizations) eligible for awards totaling approximately $532,000. Recommended awardees include Live Tampa Bay (peer support and respite recovery housing), PIRC (harm‑reduction education and Narcan distribution), WestCare (peer support hires at a residential site), Drug Free America Foundation (community‑based participatory research/photo‑voice), Operation PAR (support for medication‑assisted treatment), and PERC (increased staffing for IDEA Harm Reduction outreach).
Separately, Jess Riddell described the "We Are St. Pete" fund launched in partnership with the Pinellas Community Foundation after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The fund has raised about $1,019,000 and the city originally allocated $400,000 for resident housing disaster assistance, $200,000 for city employees, $200,000 for small business disaster assistance, $100,000 for rapid resolution funds and up to $100,000 for administration (staff indicated administrative set‑asides may be reallocated to direct relief as program operations are handled in‑house).
Dr. Avery Slicker (Housing and Community Development) explained program parameters: for residents the housing disaster assistance program caps include $30,000 for tree/storm damage or structural repairs, insurance deductible assistance up to $5,000, and rent/utility assistance up to three months or $10,000. Income thresholds differ by funding source; the We Are St. Pete Fund was set at 140% AMI while other federal/state sources remain capped at 80% AMI. City staff said they will begin outreach with a list of more than 150 individuals compiled after the storms and will open online and paper application routes; housing program launch was scheduled for March 11.
Brian Caper (Economic & Workforce Development) outlined small business grant tiers (home‑based $2,500; brick‑and‑mortar equipment $5,000; structural damage up to $10,000; combined up to $15,000) and eligibility (in‑city businesses operating since at least Sept. 15, 2024, with ≤50 employees). The council moved to approve the F2 item authorizing program launch and appropriations; the clerk announced unanimous passage with Councilmember Driscoll absent.
City staff said agreements with awardees under the opioid settlement program (the first expenditures from that fund) will be executed with performance periods starting March 1 and running one year, and that awardees will submit monthly invoices and data reports to both the city and the state as required by the statewide settlement agreement.
