Hurricane-battered Pasco County homeowners still have a shot at federal repair money, and local officials are practically waving folks in. County staff say there is still cash on the table to help fix or replace storm-damaged houses, and a pair of bilingual webinars this week aims to walk residents through the paperwork instead of leaving them to fend for themselves online.
The help comes through the county’s Better Future Individual Housing Program, which offers financial assistance to repair, rebuild or replace homes damaged by Hurricanes Idalia, Helene and Milton. According to Pasco County, the program is run by the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resources and is funded with federal disaster recovery dollars.
What the program covers
The initiative is part of a larger HUD CDBG-DR recovery package aimed at closing the gap on unmet housing needs across Pasco. Local program managers and partners say HUD allocated roughly $585 million to the county and that a major slice of that money is earmarked for housing repairs, reimbursement and reconstruction, according to IEM.
Who gets priority
County materials and staff stress that homeowners who were displaced or who meet income guidelines are first in line, but anyone with storm damage is urged to at least check eligibility. Public guidance from Pasco notes that about 70% of housing program funds are reserved for households at 80% or less of the area median income, with extra priority for very low income applicants. The county lays out the AMI bands and detailed program rules on its Better Future webpages.
How to apply and get help
Residents can start an application online through the Neighborly portal, and those who are not tech savvy can get one-on-one help by phone. As reported by Tampa Bay 28, Pasco is hosting an English webinar this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and a Spanish webinar next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Applicants who need assistance can also call 727-228-4936 to speak with a case manager.
The rollout so far
County leaders began cutting the first recovery checks late last year, and early local reporting showed hundreds of applications already in the pipeline during the opening weeks of the program. Program managers caution that the review process, eligibility checks and contracting for repairs or rebuilds mean money will keep going out over several years as the county works through the queue of applicants, per IEM.
Officials say eligible homeowners should get in the line while funds are still available. Starting the Neighborly application or calling 727-228-4936 will connect you with a case manager who can walk through next steps and needed documents. Full program details, including guidelines, income limits and a link to the application portal, are posted on the county’s Better Future pages.
