Pasco earmarks $147.9M in CDBG‑DR funds for 20 infrastructure, mitigation and public‑facility projects

Pasco County announced a broad first‑phase commitment of $147.9 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) funds to support 20 infrastructure, mitigation and public‑facility projects across the county.

Office of Disaster Recovery director Chuck Lane outlined the phase‑1 list, saying the selections prioritize readiness, low‑to‑moderate income benefits and HUD eligibility. "We are presenting a staff recommendation to allocate $147,900,000 in CDBG‑DR funding to support 20 infrastructure projects," Lane said. The recommended projects include stormwater improvements, septic‑to‑sewer conversion for 669 properties in Elfers, replacement of a damaged bridge at Starkey Wilderness Preserve, lift station elevation work requested by Port Richey, a 50,000‑square‑foot recreation center designed as an east‑side hurricane shelter, and the acquisition of a flood‑prone golf course parcel to preserve flood storage.

Lane and staff explained the programmatic constraints — HUD requires 70% of funds benefit low‑to‑moderate income residents and projects must be completed before the grant expiration (August 25, 2031). The package totals roughly $247M in combined project costs when matched with other funds; CDBG‑DR would fund $147.9M with the remainder coming from other county or external sources. Commissioners asked about acquisitions and confirmed proposed purchases were with willing sellers to avoid eminent domain complications. The board approved the phase‑1 list unanimously and directed staff to continue preparing phase‑2 candidates for projects that need more time.