There is serious recovery money on the table for Largo residents still digging out from the 2024 storms. Pinellas County's Pinellas Recovers program is offering grants and reimbursements to locals who took property damage or financial hits, and case managers are heading straight to Largo Public Library this week to help people lock in their applications.
Pop-up help at Largo Public Library
Case managers will hold two pop-up assistance events at Largo Public Library on Tue., March 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wed., March 18 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., according to Pinellas Recovers. Both events will be at Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Dr., where staff say they can help residents start applications, upload documents, or confirm whether they qualify for the program.
What the funding covers
The county's People First programs cover a wide range of storm recovery needs, including homeowner rehabilitation and reconstruction, reimbursement for completed repairs, homebuyer assistance and disaster-relief reimbursements. The money comes from an $813 million federal CDBG-DR award to Pinellas County, according to Pinellas County.
Depending on the situation, residents may be eligible for disaster-relief payments of up to $15,000, homeowner reimbursement grants of up to $50,000, and larger rehabilitation awards of up to $375,000, as reported by WMNF.
Who can apply and duplication rules
The programs are open to Pinellas County residents who were living in their homes during the storms. St. Petersburg, however, operates a separate program. County officials say residents should still apply even if they previously received FEMA, insurance payouts or other aid, but every case will go through a duplication-of-benefits review.
"There will be a duplication of benefits review for every applicant that comes in the door," the county told WUSF. Officials have also highlighted in a county Facebook post that residents may still qualify even if they already received other recovery assistance, a message shared via Pinellas County Government on Facebook.
How to apply
Residents can start the process online at Pinellas Recovers, call the People First help line at 727-606-3307, or visit a permanent help center during business hours to meet with case managers in person.
Applicants are advised to bring identification, proof of homeownership or homestead exemption, receipts or permits for storm-related repairs, and any FEMA or insurance documents. Those records help case managers verify eligibility and complete the duplication-of-benefits checks.
For updates on help-center hours and future pop-up events, residents can text RECOVER to 888777 to receive schedule alerts.
