MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — Two years after back-to-back hurricanes devastated parts of Tampa Bay, hundreds of millions of dollars in federal recovery funding are available to help communities rebuild. But how much of that money is actually reaching storm victims, and who is making sure it’s being spent properly?

Pinellas County received more than $813 million in federal disaster recovery funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). So far, the county’s Pinellas Recovers program has approved $110 million in funding, with $24 million paid out.

Another $86 million has been committed but has yet to reach recipients.

For Madeira Beach resident Bill Nelson, the wait has been frustrating. Nelson’s home was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene. Insurance covered part of his $151,000 repair bill, but he said he is still facing $88,000 in costs he can’t afford.

He has been working with Pinellas Recovers for months, hoping to qualify for assistance. In the meantime, he said his contractor is threatening to put a lien on his home.

“If I don’t get some help, I will have to make the ultimate sacrifice and sell it,” Nelson said.

County officials said they must adhere to strict federal guidelines during the disbursement process.

“It’s a reimbursement-based program. HUD does not just write us a check for $813 million,” said Anastasia Sarioglou, Pinellas County’s disaster recovery compliance manager. “We spend it and then show them with receipts that we have legitimately spent this.”

Sarioglou said permitting requirements and environmental reviews are among the biggest bottlenecks. The county is currently managing nearly 3,500 active cases.

More than 2,700 applications have also been deemed ineligible, with common reasons including properties that aren’t primary residences, applicants exceeding income limits and homes located outside Pinellas County.

The Pinellas County Division of Inspector General recently completed its first audit of the recovery program. Auditors examined 57 awarded cases totaling $4.3 million and found no issues in the sample reviewed, according to Assistant Inspector General Darcy Eckert.

“We are independent. We don’t have a stake either way,” Eckert said.

Her office plans to conduct additional audits and provides independent reviews for certain denied applications. HUD also monitors how the federal funding is spent.

Pinellas isn’t the only Tampa Bay county navigating the complicated process. Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota counties also received direct federal recovery allocations and oversee their own programs.

In smaller counties like Citrus, however, the process is different. Federal disaster recovery money is distributed through the Florida Department of Commerce rather than a county-run program.

Citrus County Housing Services Director Michelle Alford said that can make securing assistance more challenging for communities still recovering from significant storm damage.

“I believe that the communities most impacted should be the ones that have the automatic access to these funds,” Alford said.

Pinellas County has six years to distribute its $813 million allocation and is roughly one year into that process. The same goes for Hillsborough, Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota counties.

For Nelson, the concern is whether help will arrive before it’s too late. He is determined to save the Madeira Beach home he’s owned for 27 years.