In some of St. Petersburg's lowest-lying neighborhoods, homeowners say the state's marquee Elevate Florida mitigation program has turned into a waiting game they cannot afford. Families in Shore Acres and other flood-prone pockets report juggling mortgage payments with rent for temporary housing or storage, all while their homes sit untouched and in limbo. The lag has residents pressing state and federal officials for straight answers, clearer timelines and something resembling transparency.
Jason and Carrie Nash say they paid about $2,500 to participate and were told they were among roughly 2,000 households accepted into Elevate Florida. Since then, they told 10 Tampa Bay, their application has been “pending federal review for months.” Jason said they were told FEMA funds have been on hold since last June and that what once felt like a hopeful solution now feels like being stuck in place. Carrie added, “We just want some answers and transparency,” as the couple keeps paying for a rental, a storage unit and their mortgage at the same time. Their situation mirrors what many property owners describe as they wait for mitigation work or reimbursement to finally materialize.
What the program promised
Elevate Florida was created by the Florida Division of Emergency Management to pay for home elevation, mitigation reconstruction, wind retrofits and voluntary buyouts for properties hit by storms. The state accepted applications from February 7 to April 11, 2025 and, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, received more than 12,000 applications from residents across 64 counties. FDEM’s own timeline shows that each application goes through multiple layers of review, including environmental and historic preservation checks, before any project is forwarded to FEMA for a funding decision.
Where the money is supposed to come from
The state used roughly $400 million in federal disaster funding to launch Elevate Florida, according to reporting by the Tampa Bay Times. Public notices from FEMA identify Elevate Florida mitigation work as part of the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which comes with extra review requirements and public notice obligations before money can be released. Those added compliance steps help explain why elevation and mitigation projects often take many months before any check is written.
How the review process slows payouts
According to FDEM’s program materials, prioritized applications are sent to FEMA on a rolling basis, but stacked state and federal reviews, including engineering and environmental checks, can stretch out the schedule. The agency notes that FEMA generally takes about four months to make a determination after a project is submitted and that some projects may take up to two years from application to completion, as outlined by the Florida Division of Emergency Management. That series of steps, combined with procurement requirements and contract negotiations with vendors, is the official explanation for why even “accepted” families can still be waiting for contractors or reimbursement.
Where homeowners say the holdups came from
Some homeowners told 10 Tampa Bay they were informed the state had a “notice of intent to award” from the federal government but had not actually received the money, and that FEMA funds have been on hold since last June. The station also reports FEMA declined repeated interview requests, saying the agency could not comment until a government shutdown ends. For residents already living on the financial edge, those vague explanations have only fueled louder calls for a public accounting of where each application sits in the pipeline and when, realistically, help might arrive.
For now, affected homeowners and local officials say they plan to keep pressing state and federal agencies for a firmer schedule and a clearer picture of how projects are being prioritized. Elevate Florida’s online portal and FDEM’s monthly snapshots remain the most direct way to track progress, while families waiting on mitigation money say they are hoping “sooner rather than later” turns into an actual date on the calendar.
