St. Pete council highlights storm heroes and concerns

The St. Petersburg City Council held a two-hours-plus discussion covering Hurricane Helene’s impacts, unsung heroes and ongoing concerns for the first time Thursday.

St. Petersburg has now recorded at least two hurricane-related deaths. Assistant Police Chief Mike Kovacsev announced the latest fatality was “attributed to a suicide during the storm.”

City officials and employees are not immune to the storm’s physical and mental toll. Many personally impacted by the storm still spent the past week helping muck and gut homes.

Amy Foster, housing and neighborhood services administrator, said people have complained about short-term rental violations in Helene’s aftermath. She also noted that the code enforcement department has embedded with recovery street teams.

“We have people who have been in the hospital for heat exhaustion,” Foster said. “We have people who are resigning.”

The initial municipal infrastructure damage assessment is $17 million. Amber Boulding, emergency management director, stressed that was not the final total.

She said a 7.1-foot storm surge, according to one metric, caused widespread significant damage in “almost every area of the city.” At least 10,854 homes were damaged.

Boulding said 146 homes were a total loss, and nearly 5,190 received over 18 inches of water. Councilmember Brandi Gabbard said every home in Riviera Bay, the largest neighborhood in the Gandy area, flooded.

“When you drive down the streets now – a week after the storm – if you don’t see debris in front of someone’s house, it’s because they have no one to help them,” Gabbard added. “Or it’s because they are stuck in a trauma response and cannot help themselves, and they cannot even take the help from others.”

An initial estimate of flooded homes in St. Pete. A bar graph (right) shows how the number compares to other local municipalities. Screengrab.

She credited the people who brought supplies and helped storm victims clean homes. Gabbard said those collaborative efforts must continue to restore livelihoods.

St. Petersburg has endured a prolonged housing crisis due to soaring costs and a lack of inventory. Gabbard noted that entire neighborhoods are now “basically homeless.”

Foster said social service teams prioritized helping those with special needs and infants “because we can’t help everybody.” That includes using city-issued credit cards to pay for groceries and transportation.

Her department has secured hotel rooms for over 30 people. Foster dedicated personnel to finding and reserving available space.

The Bay Area Apartment Association and other industry groups are compiling vacancy lists. Several housing complexes have waived fees and annual lease requirements.

Foster said roughly 164 city staffers also need housing. “And again, many employees are helping each other.”

The We Are St. Pete Fund can provide flexible financial assistance. Officials expect the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to soon establish a Disaster Recover Center at the Enoch Davis Community Center.

Federal and city officials will assist residents applying for assistance. However, Foster warned against spending “all of our resources right now because we’re going to have to help people once they get denied from FEMA.”

Councilmember Ed Montanari said Helene was the worst storm to impact the city since the Hurricane of 1921. He also noted that “people didn’t give up on St. Petersburg” in the aftermath.

“They built it stronger and better and more resilient,” Montanari added. “And we’re going to do the same thing.”

Rebuilding requires removing an unprecedented amount of debris. Mike Jefferis, community enrichment administrator, called a first push to clear roadways for first responders a huge success.

FEMA will now dictate much of the residential process. Jefferis said crews began collecting debris in the most damaged areas, like Coquina Key, Thursday morning.

Councilmember Gina Driscoll stressed the need for mental health services. “You just have to keep trying to convince yourself that you were built for this,” she said. “So many of our residents are doing the same thing … without all the resources we have.”

Ronnica Whaley (center, background), owner of Shiso Crispy, and city volunteers pass out free hot meals to Bartlett Park residents. Photo by Mark Parker.

The city has a list of available mental health services on its hurricane assistance webpage. The Disaster Distress Helpline at 800-985-5990 provides dedicated storm support.

Driscoll said officials should prioritize providing in-person mental health counseling as they would restoring power or clearing debris. Boulding said she would work to include those services at the Disaster Recover Center.

Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders urged city employees and her colleagues to assess their mental health and take a break. “Because if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anybody else,” she said.

Figgs-Sanders also asked administrators to ensure they have proper staffing for emergencies. Multiple council members advocated for better communication regarding road and facility closures.

Driscoll – and a Clam Bayou resident – emphasized the need for equitable recovery resource distribution, particularly in South St. Pete. “We take your comments to heart,” said Mayor Ken Welch.

“I don’t want anyone to think the city is only going to certain neighborhoods,” Welch added. “No one will be left behind. We can always get better … but I want you to know we are responding to needs across this city.”