\u200bPiccion and his then-pregnant wife were displaced twice during the devastating 2024 hurricane season. He was the first to apply for assistance at a St. Petersburg resource center in October, and said staff walked him through a \u201cfairly easy\u201d process.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u201cIt\u2019s amazing,\u201d Piccion said of being the first to receive a check. \u201cObviously, seeing the commissioner here was a great surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u200bOver 3,700 Pinellas residents have applied for help since the People First program launched Oct. 20. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding is available for those who lived in the county during Idalia, Helene or Milton and still have unmet needs<\/a> stemming from the storms.<\/p>\n \u200bHomeowners can receive money to repair, rebuild or replace hurricane-damaged homes, or reimbursements for previously completed work. Assistance is also available for prospective income-eligible homebuyers to purchase a safe residence outside of flood zones.<\/p>\n \u200bOfficials allocated funding for local landlords to repair or rebuild affordable housing properties. Residents can also receive disaster relief reimbursements for related expenses, including rent, mortgage or utility payments.<\/p>\n \u200bScott noted that \u201cthis kind of vital help can\u2019t come quickly enough\u201d for people who are still recovering over a year after Helene and Milton decimated the area. The over 3,700 submitted applications represent just a fraction of the funding that remains in an $813 million pot.<\/p>\n \u200b\u201cWe have literally hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars that we need to get into people\u2019s hands,\u201d Scott said. \u201cIt is not for governments to recover. It\u2019s to get in people\u2019s hands and help lift them up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200bPiccion explained that Helene\u2019s storm surge<\/a> flooded his landlord\u2019s home on St. Pete Beach. The landlord needed to stay in Piccion\u2019s rental, about 10 minutes away, and offered to help the family move into a new place.<\/p>\n \u200bPiccion agreed and left for his current home in Seminole. Milton hit three days later<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u200b\u201cWell, we got six inches of water, so there was flooding through the back,\u201d Piccion said. \u201cMy wife at that point was nine months pregnant, and we basically had to leave again for 31 days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200bHe said staying at a hotel for a month and the cost of constantly dining out created a financial burden. The stress associated with \u201chaving to move the entire family\u201d twice also took a toll.<\/p>\n Hurricane Helene\u2019s storm surge decimated Pinellas County\u2019s barrier islands. Image: Screengrab, Facebook.<\/p>\n \u200bPiccion encouraged other residents to apply for relief, as the \u201cworst thing they could say is, \u2018No.\u2019\u201d He said staff gave him a \u201cheads up\u201d that he could potentially qualify and urged him to complete the process \u201cas fast as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200b\u201cAnd now here I am,\u201d Piccion added. \u201cSo, it\u2019s definitely well worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200bThe money will become an emergency fund for the family. Scott said the goal was for residents to begin receiving checks by Christmas.<\/p>\n \u200bPeople First prioritizes low-income residents, per federal guidelines. However, help is available for anyone who earns up to 120% of the area median income (AMI) \u2013 $87,600 for an individual or $125,150 for a family of four.<\/p>\n \u200bLocal landlord funding lacks income restrictions. Homeowner and homebuyer assistance ranges from $58,450 for one person to $110,200 for an eight-person household.<\/p>\n \u200bResidents with incomes at or below 80% of the AMI can receive up to $15,000 for six months of disaster-related expenses. Scott said the county made the application process \u201cas seamless and as easy as we possibly can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200b\u201cWe want to make sure we get this money into the hands of people who need it as quickly as possible,\u201d he reiterated. \u201cIf you\u2019re unsure, just apply for the money.\u201d<\/p>\n \u200bPiccion uploaded most of his required documents through an online portal. In-person help is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 2600 McCormick Drive, Suite 100, in Clearwater, and at 500 Park Street, Suite 4, in St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n \u200bHowever, St. Petersburg residents are ineligible for the county initiative. The city opened applications<\/a> for its $160 million storm recovery program Dec. 8.<\/p>\n \u200bFor more information on Sunrise St. Pete, which uses the same federal grant funds, visit the website here.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Barrier-Islands-Helene-e1728305503731-1024x846.png\")
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