St. Pete’s ‘Hometown Haulers’ earned over $1.5 million

While they may have lacked dump trucks and heavy machinery typically used to collect storm debris, St. Petersburg’s “Hometown Haulers” provided a much-needed assist following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Community leaders and city officials hastily established the Hometown Recovery Haulers program when faced with an unprecedented amount of storm-related debris. Small businesses and private citizens using whatever vehicles were available collected tons of vegetation, construction materials and flooded appliances from neighborhood curbs.

The impromptu storm cleanup crews earned $1.574 million for hauling 5,247 loads to collection sites. City Council Chair Deborah Figgs-Sanders credited a citywide need for the program’s exponential growth.

“It was a wonderful concept that was truly a grassroots effort,” Figgs-Sanders told the Catalyst. “You have strong community leaders that put their constituents, that put the people of St. Petersburg first.”

The initiative was the embodiment of a team effort. Figgs-Sanders credited Nikki Gaskin-Capehart, CEO of the Pinellas County Urban League; Gypsy Gallardo, CEO of Urban Market Analytics; Dr. Kanika Tomalin, CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg (FHSP); and Nancy Dunham, founder of Fancy Nancy Professional Services, for establishing the program’s framework.

The group then enlisted Figgs-Sanders and Carl Lavender, the city’s chief equity officer. FHSP provided $100,000 in seed funding.

Figgs-Sanders said Dunham helped secure 11 private haulers within hours. That number quickly jumped to 47, and city officials eventually capped participation at 100 people.

“They’re champions of the people,” Figgs-Sanders said of the program’s founders. “They know what the community needs, and they stepped up.”

St. Petersburg’s Economic Development department administered the outside-the-box program. Participants earned $300 per load. Hometown Haulers hailed from every city district; however, nearly 40% called the South St. Pete Community Redevelopment Area home.

“Think about those who may have also suffered a great loss,” Figgs-Sanders said. “This also gave them an economical way to make some money.”

An equitable approach was paramount, and the city offered a flat rate regardless of vehicle type. Officials could not weigh loads at the temporary collection site; they relied on time-stamped pictures for proof of work.

“Leaders lead, and we have to continue to lead, not just when the sun is shining,” Figgs-Sanders said. “It also showed the city understands the importance of collaboration.”

Mayor Ken Welch, City Administrator Rob Gerdes and Councilmember Copley Gerdes helped secure a temporary collection site at the former Raytheon property in the latter’s West St. Petersburg district. He called the program, which lacked Federal Emergency Management Agency approval, “wildly successful.”

“We did that without hesitation, and we did that without worrying about whether we were going to get reimbursed,” Gerdes said. “Obviously, we’re hoping we will, but we knew that the impact on our community and our businesses was far greater than worrying about whether we would get our $1.5 million back.”

St. Petersburg has collected over 1.6 million cubic yards of storm debris. Screengrab, City of St. Petersburg.

He said the initiative highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships. Porter Development now owns the former Raytheon property, and Gerdes credited the local builder for quickly agreeing to an emergency lease.

Gerdes said city administrators and staff who toured and operated from the collection site “immediately saw the impact.” He compared the program’s operational efficiency and positivity exuded by all stakeholders to a Chick-fil-A drive-through.

“You could see they were just so happy to help,” Gerdes added. “And because they had smiles on their faces, people who were there delivering their own stuff, who just had their lives rocked by two hurricanes, got a little bit of joy in their life.”

FEMA-approved commercial haulers are now completing the collection process. The city has removed 1.63 million cubic yards of debris.

Officials must have Porter Development’s land cleared for a long-planned housing project by the first week of February. Gerdes credited surrounding residents for their empathy and patience.

“This is what recovery is about,” he said. “It’s neighbors helping neighbors. I’m just very joyful and thankful that District 1 could be a good neighbor.”