TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) \u2013 A South Tampa woman thanked Mayor Jane Castor and the city after receiving thousands to repair her home after hurricanes Helene and Milton.<\/p>\n
Kelly Doston, 65, said her home was damaged by both hurricanes Helene and Milton. She said that stepping into her home in October of 2024 was like stepping into a nightmare.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I turned the knob, water shot out of the house and my refrigerator was turned over, my stove was turned over,\u201d Doston said. \u201cI never had seen a disaster like that. So I came out on the porch and I was just crying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kelly said it took nearly a year for her to move back in and, as a disabled woman, covering the costs of the repairs seemed like a challenge she couldn\u2019t take on.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t have been able to do anything,\u201d Doston said, \u201cthe Lord blessed me to get this grant, and the city blessed me to get the grant.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Homeowner Hurricane Assistance Fund, which helped Kelly, had two million dollars to distribute to disaster victims. A unique program Mayor Jane Castor said that helped residents from neighborhoods like Forest Hills, Palmetto Beach, and South Tampa, where the storms hit the hardest.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were knocked to our knees momentarily. We got back up, helped our community remove the debris and start to rebuild,\u201d Mayor Jane Castor said.<\/p>\n
The applications are closed, and the city has 200-thousand dollars left over that they are distributing to pending applications. To date they\u2019ve awarded 1.8 million dollars to 100 applicants.<\/p>\n
However, there\u2019s still help available. Hillsborough County received 709 million from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to support recovery and mitigation efforts.<\/p>\n
Those whose homes were severely damaged, like Kelly Doster, still have a chance to fix their property.<\/p>\n
Kelly\u2019s granddaughter, Maurisha Myers, says the city\u2019s help was a blessing for the entire family.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy she\u2019s getting it because she was so, like, I don\u2019t know how I\u2019m gonna repair my house because it\u2019s not cheap to own a house, it\u2019s very expensive,\u201d Myers said.<\/p>\n
The application process for the county\u2019s funds should start next month, and the website should go live in the coming weeks. The county also plans to open up a center on Hillsborough Avenue where you can get help with the application process.<\/p>\n
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