St. Petersburg council adopts $159.8 million CDBG-DR action plan for hurricane recovery

St. Petersburg’s City Council unanimously approved a HUD-funded action plan on Thursday that lays out how the city would spend $159,800,000 in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) money to repair damage from recent hurricanes and invest in mitigation.

The plan, presented by city staff and consultants from Horn, directs roughly 70% of funds to housing programs — including residential rehabilitation, reconstruction and reimbursement — with separate pots for affordable rental housing, a voluntary buyout program, public-infrastructure mitigation and nonprofit service support. Horn’s Ryan Flannery, the consultant who led the unmet-needs analysis, told the council that housing accounts for about 73% of the city’s calculated unmet need and that the proposed budgets are intended to be “proportionate” to that assessment.

Why it matters: The money is intended to help low- and moderate-income households recover from hurricanes Idalia and Helene while also funding mitigation to reduce future damage. Aubrey Phillips, the city’s program lead, summarized the grant rules and said HUD requires at least 70% of the funds to benefit households at or below 80% of area median income.

Key programs and budget highlights: the city proposes the following allocations: $35 million for major residential rehabilitation and elevation (anticipated assist ~98 households), $12 million for reimbursement grants (~288 households), $14 million for disaster-relief payments to cover rent, mortgage or utilities (up to six months, ~784 households), $48 million for affordable rental housing development (estimated ~582 units at up to $125,000 subsidy per unit), $25 million for public infrastructure mitigation projects, $6 million to strengthen nonprofit community support services, $5 million for voluntary buyouts/acquisitions and $1.9 million for planning and after-action work.

Public concerns: Dozens of residents urged faster, clearer outreach and questioned whether the design will reach the hardest-hit neighborhoods. Several speakers from South St. Petersburg said they had not heard about programs in time, cited difficulties with permits and documentation, and asked whether reimbursements would be available to residents who fronted repairs. Amy Foster, an administration official, described a "no wrong door" delivery model and said the city plans to subcontract local outreach partners to do in‑community case management and to help residents apply for the programs.

Council questions centered on cash flow, eligibility and prioritization. Councilmember Brandy Gabbard asked how the city would reach people already known to the city (damage lists and We Are St. Pete applications); staff said they will use existing applicant lists, damage assessments and door-to-door outreach. Staff confirmed the grant is reimbursement-based but said HUD typically pays quickly once claims are submitted.

Administration controls and reporting: The plan includes roughly $7.9 million for program administration (allowed by HUD), which city leaders say will fund staff, outreach and compliance; the mayor’s office said it will return to council with details on cash‑flow and recommended quarterly reporting so elected officials can track spending.

Next steps: Council approved the action plan after the public hearing and staff may begin some planning activities immediately (HUD rules allow limited planning costs to be started before full grant agreement). The action plan must still be negotiated into a final grant agreement with HUD; once signed, the city will move to implement programs and issue requests for proposals to vendors and nonprofit partners.

Public comment capture: "We need sound data not rumors," said John Stewart, urging the city to base responses on evidence. Resident Jerome King urged emergency measures for those already displaced and suggested generators and faster outreach to prevent homelessness. The council approved the plan unanimously.