Thrive
County: Hurricanes caused $136 million in business damage

The one-two punch from Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused $136 million in damages to area businesses, according to Pinellas County officials. It’s a bill that could continue rising as local governments methodically complete assessments.
Thousands of residents remain displaced more than two months after the storms. Many await significant damage determinations and rebuilding approval. Pinellas County Commissioners and St. Petersburg City Council members recently received updates on the long road to recovery.
Cathie Perkins, emergency management director for Pinellas, told commissioners Tuesday that nearly 23,000 homes suffered major storm damage. She said roughly 2,000 “were impacted by both storms.”
“We’ve had 1,100 business impacted for both Helene and Milton,” Perkins said. “To date, there’s been over 90 ribbon-cuttings along the beach for businesses that have reopened. But we know this will continue to be a challenge for many of them.”
Perkins noted a state contractor has partnered with county and city officials to address damaged critical infrastructure, and identify mitigation projects eligible for disaster funding. She pledged to continue investigating potential resources to bolster economic revitalization.
Nearly 274,000 residents have applied for individual assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The program terminates Jan. 7.
Perkins stressed that anyone who “may be in need or have a future need for assistance” should register with FEMA before the deadline. She also noted that over 34,000 residents recently requested emergency food assistance from the Florida Department of Children and Families. That program has closed.
Perkins said logistics personnel are still completing over 40 countywide “missions.” Those include temporary police and fire stations on Treasure Island.
The county continues providing fencing, generators and bypass pumps along the barrier islands. Staff is also assisting municipalities with disaster assessments, permitting and “guidance on historical structures.”
Ensuring displaced residents have a place to stay remains a challenge. Perkins said FEMA has partnered with 12 local property management companies to find available rentals.
The agency is also searching for areas that can accommodate travel trailers. Perkins said FEMA has identified six mobile home parks with vacant spaces “and just entered into a lease agreement with one of them.”
She noted over 3,700 displaced households remain in hotels through federal and state programs. That number could also increase as the months pass.
“We know some people may have been couch surfing with friends, or maybe they were able to stay somewhere temporarily,” Perkins added. “And also, maybe they haven’t needed assistance, but when they start to make repairs … they might need a place to stay.”
Amber Boulding, emergency management director for St. Petersburg, provided the city council with a storm update Dec. 12. She said the state would soon launch its Elevate Florida program to provide grant funding for “elevation, mitigation, construction and acquisition of residential structures.”
Boulding said the goal is to abbreviate typical FEMA timelines. The state hopes to complete a three-to-four-year process in 12 to 18 months.
Councilmember Brandi Gabbard said residents are “waiting on the edge of their seats” for the program’s launch. Those interested can receive updates at the website here.

Debris from Hurricane Helene lines a street in St. Petersburg. Image: screengrab, City of St. Petersburg.
Council members approved extending the city’s emergency order. Administrator Rob Gerdes said that would allow residents to continue placing debris on the right of way – a city code violation – and officials to waive permitting fees for storm repairs.
The city will continue suspending utility late fees and disconnections. Gerdes said the order also allows residents to park RVs in their yard while repairing homes.
“We’re going to continue to extend it while people are repairing their homes,” Gerdes added. “It’s probably going to be lengthy.”
Boulding said the city has completed over 6,000 substantial damage assessments. The permitting department approved 2,869 emergency applications by Dec. 8, and 883 remained under review.
“People should know that other municipalities across Pinellas County – the number of permits they’ve been able to issue is in the teens,” Gabbard said. “I just want to publicly say a huge ‘thank-you’ to our permitting staff.
“Even after working 10-to-12-hour days, they’re still going to neighborhood meetings and having lengthy conversations with our residents. It is so appreciated.”
Assistant City Administrator Tom Greene said initial storm damage estimates are between $80 million and $90 million. However, assessments are ongoing, and he expects a more accurate total in January.
As of Thursday, the city has cleared 2.05 million cubic yards of debris. That is the amount of concrete it would take to build 33 Empire State Buildings.
The city is now on its second sweep and must have debris removed by Jan. 11 to receive FEMA reimbursement. The temporary drop-off site at the former Raytheon property will close Dec. 22.
