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Manatee County unveils rollout plan for $125M-infrastructure pot as part of $252M HUD award
Summary
County staff outlined 'Lasting Manatee,' the HUD-funded recovery program: about $125 million is targeting infrastructure projects, pre-applications open June 1, full applications start July 1 and municipalities will prioritize projects in October.
Manatee County staff on May 19 presented the implementation plan for "Lasting Manatee," the county's HUD disaster-recovery program funded by a $252.07 million award. Approximately $125 million of that award is earmarked for infrastructure recovery and resiliency projects; the remainder supports housing recovery and program delivery.
Key dates: pre-applications for municipal and county department projects open June 1; full applications open July 1 and close Sept. 1; eligibility reviews will be completed by Sept. 22; municipalities will submit prioritized project lists for a board work session targeted for Oct. 21 and project awards are planned to appear on a consent agenda later in October.
Staff emphasized HUD requirements that at least 70% of the CDBG-DR allocation benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents. Eligible project types include stormwater mitigation, drainage and wastewater upgrades, dredging, and other resilience measures. County reviewers will score proposals on LMI benefit, tie to hurricane damage (Milton, Helene or Debby), mitigation value, project readiness, and the leverage of non-CDBG-DR funds.
Procurement and contracting: staff warned that HUD rules require federal procurement compliance for any work funded by CDBG-DR dollars; the county will post procurement solicitations through Manatee County procurement and run a selection and negotiation process for qualified contractors.
Housing program update: staff said the housing recovery intake has seen thousands of started applications and staff opened an intake center downtown to assist residents with submissions; as of the briefing staff reported that more than 12,000 application starts and 121 complete applications were in the review queue (figures subject to verification as the application period continues).
What happens next: municipalities and county departments are expected to finalize their pre-applications in June and staff will provide templates and direct assistance to applicants. Projects that pass eligibility and scoring will be prioritized for board review in October.
Sources: Lasting Manatee presentation and staff remarks, May 19, 2026.
