Clearwater residents still dealing with hurricane damage can apply for up to $375,000 in rebuilding help through Pinellas County's Pinellas Recovers program, which celebrated its first completed home on Sept. 2.

First completed rebuild marks program milestone

Largo resident Melissa Arledge is the homeowner behind that milestone. Hurricane Milton's winds toppled trees onto her roof in 2024, and inspectors later found two major structural beams broken. The house was on the verge of collapse.

"We heard the wind of course and then when the trees fell on the roof, the whole house shook," Arledge told Tampa Bay 28. "It was six, eight hours later before I could even go outside to look to see that there were trees on my roof."

Once approved for help, the rebuild took only a few months, according to a Pinellas County press release. County Commissioners Brian Scott, Chris Latvala and René Flowers joined County Administrator Barry Burton, Largo City Commissioner Michael DiBrizzi and Largo City Manager John Curp at a ribbon-cutting at Arledge's home.

How the recovery program works

The program uses Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to repair or replace homes damaged during the 2023-2024 hurricane seasons. The Home Rehabilitation/Reconstruction track covers up to $375,000 in construction costs per household.

Funding still available for new applicants

Since October 2025, the county has approved more than 1,000 applications, representing an estimated $90 million investment, Tampa Bay 28 reported. Dozens of single-family and mobile home rebuilds are underway across the county.

Erica Henry, Pinellas County's disaster recovery program manager, told Tampa Bay 28 at the Sept. 2 event that funding remains available. "We have plenty of funding available for applicants that have not applied or that have not been approved yet," Henry said.

The program is open countywide except in the City of St. Petersburg, which received its own separate grant. The county also accepts applications for a homeowner reimbursement program for work already completed and a local landlord program that helps property owners fix damaged rental units in exchange for a five-year affordable-rate agreement.

How Clearwater residents can apply

Clearwater residents can walk in Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 2600 McCormick Drive, Suite 100, Clearwater. Applications are also accepted online at recover.pinellas.gov or by calling case managers at 727-606-3307 during the same hours. No application deadline has been announced.

Upcoming in Clearwater