State official: St. Pete has a post-storm housing problem

A state emergency management official pledged to make Pinellas County his home as the area recovers from Hurricane Milton. Finding a place to stay will present a challenge.

Kevin Guthrie, executive director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management, applauded city leadership for making outside-of-the-box decisions in Hurricane Milton’s aftermath, at Thursday morning’s city council meeting. He also highlighted storm recovery challenges. 

Guthrie said his federal counterparts launched a direct housing initiative Tuesday. However, he said providing shelter for displaced St. Petersburg residents is a “very difficult” and “complex” mission.

“A lot of your residents live in high-rises,” Guthrie elaborated. “I can’t put travel trailers in the parking lot – that’s just not going to work. So, we’ve got to figure that out together.”

The city’s lack of undeveloped land will impede efforts to establish Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) camps. Guthrie said the problem persists throughout Pinellas but is more pronounced in St. Petersburg.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged nearly 16,000 homes in the city. Several thousand require what city assessors deemed “major” repairs.

Guthrie said the direct housing program would not be operational for another 30 to 45 days. FEMA-approved displaced residents can utilize the agency’s transitional assistance, which covers the cost of hotel stays “while we figure out what’s going on with their house.”

Councilmember Brandi Gabbard later noted the region’s lack of available rooms. Many flood victims no longer have working vehicles, and state and federal officials will likely not find a better solution.

“The one thing they don’t make any more of is property,” Guthrie said. “So, where are we going to put group sites? It’s probably going to be that travel trailers are not the right thing for St. Pete, and maybe even more so than Pinellas County.

“It’s going to be more of a hoteling situation, and those hoteling situations may go on for long periods of time.”

The issue could affect the local economy. Guthrie said potentially unusable convention centers and hotels could prevent the area from hosting conferences and other large-scale events.

However, Guthrie said state, federal and local officials will “figure that out.” He also noted that the housing programs run for 18 months, and the clock is already ticking.

Guthrie urged homeowners to “take an active part” in their recovery. He said federal case managers would not extend the 18-month timeframe for residents who “have done nothing to help themselves.”

Guthrie explained that residents who must rebuild or elevate their homes should find contractors, receive cost estimates and begin the permitting process. He said state and federal officials do not want to see them wait for government to “solve their problem.”

Residents can apply for a Small Business Administration loan of up to $500,000. The agency defers interest for the first year, and Guthrie said it could save homeowners money on future mortgage payments.

“I think we just need to set expectations,” Guthrie added. “The average payout from FEMA is about $5,000 per household.”

One of at least six homes that caught fire in Shore Acres following Hurricane Helene. Photo: Facebook.

He said the maximum grant total from various programs is about $80,000. “People are not going to be able to rebuild their home on any grant.”

However, additional assistance is on the horizon. Guthrie said state leadership would soon announce “some creative situations” and “grant programs that we’re going to be doing for the first time ever.” The money and initiatives would help property owners elevate and reconstruct homes.

Guthrie applauded the city’s debris collection efforts. He said St. Petersburg is “leading the way on getting that done” by eliminating bureaucratic red tape and hiring local haulers.

Guthrie said state recovery and mitigation specialists would remain in the city to help navigate an unprecedented time. He expects the recovery process to extend for several years.

Streets should be clear of debris by Jan. 11. Guthrie said the 90-day, around-the-clock sprint would set a new state record. He asked for patience until that date, and then, residents should “feel free to call all of our offices and start complaining.”

Guthrie called FEMA a “critical partner” in achieving storm recovery goals and credited the agency’s financial support. While he oversees the state’s disaster response in 22 counties, Guthrie pledged to remain in Pinellas for 30 to 45 days, “or as long as it needs to be.”