ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg City Council voted this week to accept a nearly $160 million grant that will be used in part to fund “Sunrise St. Pete.”
The program will help rebuild, raise homes, and address housing issues through funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
What You Need To Know
St. Pete gets nearly $160 million grant from the HUD
Money will be used to rebuild after last year’s devastating hurricanes
Some funds will be used to improve housing
It is still in the early stages of development, but city officials hope to get at least part of the program off the ground in November. The next step in St. Pete’s rebuilding efforts comes after city council unanimously approved the grant.
The mayor said Sunrise prioritizes income-eligible homeowners, ensuring that 70 percent of the funds benefit low-to moderate-income households. The first programs within Sunrise St. Pete will involve residential recovery and elevation programs. Homeowners in hard-hit areas like Shore Acres have been in desperate need since last year’s storms.
“I’m just hoping the money is spent properly – that there is good accounting for it,” said one resident.
Kevin Batdorf, president of the Shore Acres Civic Association, said he is waiting for details on who might be able to benefit from the program.
“This HUD grant is good for the city of St. Petersburg – is it specific to Shore Acres? I don’t think so. I don’t know if Shore Acres is going to see a large portion of this, but we are hopeful,” he said.
“Everybody who flooded here during Helene, during Debby, during Idalia should be in consideration for an elevation, rehab or rebuild project.”
Now that the grant has been finalized and approved, the city says it will move quickly to set up the infrastructure needed to get the program running. While some programs are expected to be operational by November, the rest should be in place by early 2026.