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About / Overview

HUD uses National Objectives to make sure federal dollars benefit the community in the right way. Every CDBG‑DR and CDBG‑MIT project must meet at least one of these:

  1. Benefit to Low‑ and Moderate‑Income (LMI) Persons
    • The project mainly helps people whose incomes are at or below HUD’s low‑ and moderate‑income limits.
    • This can be shown by: 
      • Area benefit (the project serves a neighborhood that is mostly LMI residents)
      • Limited clientele (the project serves a defined group, such as seniors or people with disabilities)
      • Housing activities (improvements to homes occupied by LMI households)
      • Job creation/retention (jobs created or saved for LMI persons)
  2. Prevention or Elimination of Slums or Blight
    • The project deals with serious deterioration or blight, either in a designated area or on a specific site, or as part of a broader redevelopment effort.
  3. Urgent Need
    • The project addresses a serious and immediate threat to health or welfare that is of recent origin and where no other resources are available in time.

HUD requires that at least 70% of the total CDBG‑DR allocation benefit low‑ and moderate‑income persons. This means most projects that the County funds must use the LMI National Objective.

  • Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations (24 CFR), which contains HUD’s core housing and community development regulations, including the standard CDBG program framework.

  • Federal Register Notices issued by HUD for each CDBG‑DR appropriation, which establish disaster‑specific requirements, waivers, and alternative provisions.

  • Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements (2 CFR Part 200), which apply to the financial management and administration of federal grant funds.

  • FEMA assistance is generally available immediately following a disaster and is intended to address short‑term emergency and response needs, such as temporary housing, emergency protective measures, debris removal, and certain repair activities. FEMA assistance is limited in scope and dollar amount and does not typically cover full long‑term recovery costs.
  • Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance is provided primarily in the form of low‑interest loans, not grants. These loans must be repaid and are intended to help homeowners, renters, and businesses repair or replace disaster‑damaged property. Because SBA assistance is debt‑based, it may not be feasible for all disaster‑impacted households or entities.
  • Insurance proceeds are governed by the terms, conditions, and coverage limits of individual insurance policies. Insurance often does not cover the full cost of recovery, particularly for underinsured or uninsured losses, code compliance upgrades, or mitigation activities. Insurance is considered a primary source of recovery funding and must be used before federal grant assistance.
  • CDBG‑DR is a HUD‑administered grant program focused on long‑term disaster recovery. Unlike FEMA or SBA assistance, CDBG‑DR funds are used to “fill gaps” by addressing documented unmet needs that remain after FEMA assistance, SBA loans, insurance, and other recovery resources have been applied. CDBG‑DR funds cannot duplicate other sources of assistance and must be tied directly to the impacts of declared disaster. 

Disaster tie‑back is the requirement that all CDBG‑DR‑funded activities directly or indirectly address impacts of the Presidentially declared disaster(s) for which the funds were appropriated. Each activity must demonstrate a clear connection to disaster‑related impacts and support long‑term recovery.

Under HUD’s Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, a Most Impacted and Distressed (MID) area is a geographic area identified by HUD as having experienced the greatest damage and unmet recovery needs resulting from a Presidentially declared disaster.

  • For the County’s CDBG-DR allocation for Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the entire County is a MID area. 

CDBG‑DR funds may be used for:

  • Disaster recovery and long‑term rebuilding

  • Housing repair, rehabilitation, reconstruction, replacement, and limited reimbursement for eligible repairs

  • Infrastructure and public facilities

  • Economic revitalization

  • Mitigation and resilience activities that reduce future disaster risk

All funded activities must:

  • Be directly tied to disaster‑related impacts or qualify as a mitigation activity

  • Meet a HUD national objective

  • Comply with applicable HUD regulations and Federal Register Notices 

Ineligible activities include those that do not comply with HUD requirements or program objectives, such as:

  • Activities unrelated to disaster recovery or mitigation

  • General government operating costs

  • Ongoing maintenance or operations

  • Assistance with second homes

  • Costs prohibited by federal law or HUD guidance 

  • Activities not specified in the County’s Action Plan

A CDBG‑DR Action Plan is a required document describing disaster impacts, unmet needs, proposed programs, budgets, and compliance procedures. HUD must approve the Action Plan before funds can be spent. 

The Action Plan identifies specific programs and funding levels for eligible CDBG-DR activities, including housing recovery, infrastructure, economic revitalization, public services, planning, administration, and mitigation, consistent with HUD eligibility requirements.

HUD requires grantees to maintain transparent and inclusive processes for administering CDBG-DR funds. This includes public notice and comment on Action Plans and substantial amendments, publication of program information and performance reports, and establishment of a formal citizen complaint process with defined response timelines. 

Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant funds are appropriated by Congress and allocated by HUD to support long‑term recovery in areas impacted by federally declared disasters by addressing documented unmet needs that remain after FEMA assistance, SBA loans, insurance, and other recovery resources have been applied. Unlike emergency response programs, CDBG‑DR focuses on long‑term disaster recovery rather than immediate relief. Subject to authorization in the applicable HUD Federal Register notice, grantees may also use a portion of their allocation, often up to 15 percent, for mitigation (MIT) or resilience‑related activities that reduce future disaster risk.

CDBG‑MIT (Mitigation) is a special portion of the HUD funding set aside to reduce future disaster risk.

  • CDBG‑DR recovery funds focus on helping the County recover from damage caused by Helene and Milton (repairing and replacing what was harmed).
  • CDBG‑MIT funds focus on projects that make people, homes, infrastructure, and systems safer and stronger, so that future storms and floods cause less damage and fewer losses. 

Mitigation projects:

  • Must still be CDBG‑eligible,
  • Must meet a national objective, and
  • Must follow the MIT strategy in the Action Plan. 

Unlike regular CDBG‑DR recovery funds, CDBG‑MIT projects do not have to repair a specific damaged site. They do, however, need to show how they reduce risk from future events that are similar to Helene and Milton (for example, flooding, wind, or storm surge). 

Hillsborough County’s total CDBG‑DR grant allocation is $709,324,000, as approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the County’s HUD-approved Action Plan and accepted by the Board of County Commissioners.

Yes. The Action Plan may be amended after adoption if changes are necessary. HUD requires that all approved changes be reflected in the consolidated Action Plan, rather than implemented through informal or standalone updates. Amendments are classified as substantial or non‑substantial, depending on their scope and impact.

  • Substantial amendments (such as adding or removing activities, significant funding reallocations, changes to program design, or modifications to eligibility criteria) generally require:

    • Public notice

    • A 30‑day public comment period

    • HUD approval prior to implementation

  • Non‑substantial amendments (technical, administrative, or clerical changes) require notification to HUD and internal documentation, but do not require public comment or formal HUD approval, provided they meet HUD’s non-substantial criteria. 

Action Plan amendments do not automatically suspend or invalidate projects already underway; however, the impact depends on the nature of the amendment.

  • If an amendment does not affect an approved activity type, scope, or funding, the project may generally continue without modification.

  • For substantial amendments, HUD approval must be obtained before any material changes to the project are carried out.  

The program is administered by HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD).

Hillsborough County’s CDBG‑DR and CDBG‑MIT funds are allocated as follows, consistent with the County’s HUD‑approved Action Plan dated July 10, 2025:

  • Administration: $35,466,200*

  • Planning: $5,000,000  

  • Housing: $414,820,868*

  • Infrastructure: $139,214,556*

  • Economic Revitalization: $99,822,376  

  • Public Services: $15,000,000

*These budgets are split between CDBG‑DR and CDBG‑MIT; other allocations are CDBG‑DR only. 

Infrastructure

Eligible infrastructure projects can include public facilities and improvements that support long‑term recovery and risk reduction, such as:

  • Drainage, stormwater, and flood‑control systems
  • Water, sewer, and wastewater systems
  • Roads, bridges, and related structures
  • Other publicly owned utilities and critical facilities, especially those serving LMI neighborhoods or at high risk
  • Public buildings or facilities damaged by the disaster

Infrastructure projects must:

  • Address a documented disaster‑related impact (for CDBG‑DR) or a future hazard risk (for CDBG‑MIT)
  • Be an eligible activity
  • Meet a national objective

The following types of projects are NOT eligible:

  • Purchase of equipment or vehicles for general government operations
  • Projects initiated before completion of the required environmental review and receipt of clearance
  • General capital improvements unrelated to disaster impacts
  • Buildings used solely for general government operations

Funds are limited to eligible capital improvements and may not be used for ongoing operations or maintenance.

For recovery (CDBG‑DR) funds, an infrastructure project must show how the work fixes damage or problems caused or worsened by Helene or Milton. For example, repairing damaged culverts, upsizing pipes where the storms exposed capacity limits, or stabilizing washed‑out roads.

For mitigation (CDBG‑MIT) funds, the project must show how it will reduce future risk to people, homes, or key facilities from hazards like flooding, wind, and storm surge—even if that specific site was not heavily damaged in the last storm.

The County has chosen projects that will mitigate flooding impacts and enhance the safety of our residents during future weather events, while selecting project locations that will benefit communities across our County’s four districts.  

To be eligible for CDBG-DR funding, an infrastructure project must: 

  • Be an allowed type of public infrastructure project under HUD rules (such as drainage, stormwater, roads, or utilities) and be consistent with the types of infrastructure projects outlined in the County’s Action Plan; 

  • Meet a HUD National Objective, such as benefiting low- and moderate-income residents or addressing an urgent disaster-related need;

  • Be directly related to hurricane damage or help reduce future disaster risks; 

  • Be located within Hillsborough County, a HUD-designated Most Impacted and Distressed area; and

  • Not be fully funded by another source like FEMA or insurance.

CDBG-DR funds are limited and must follow federal rules. Projects that do not meet eligibility requirements, lack a disaster connection or mitigation benefit, or are already fully funded by another source cannot be approved.

Single-Family Housing

There are three ways to apply:
1.    Visit an intake center or resource center.
2.    Complete the online application via this website.
3.    Call the call center for application support. Please note that Applications can be initiated via telephone but homeowners may need to utilize a computer or smart device or visit an intake center to complete certain actions and provide documentation.

Applications for the Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction Program will open on May 1, 2026. The call center will be available to answer questions and provide support beginning on April 15, 2026.

The Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction Program will address the disaster recovery needs of residents impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. Funding is available to eligible residents and homeowners for repair, reconstruction or reimbursement. 

Unfortunately, you are ineligible to apply for the Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction program.

This program provides grant funding. However, eligible homeowners who are awarded are expected to remain in the house for 3-years. If the house is sold or used as collateral prior to the 3-year anniversary, a prorated amount may be due back to the County.

Yes. The program takes the security of personal private information very seriously and has controls in place to safeguard personal information.

All homeowner situations are unique, and range and severity of damages are also distinguishing variables, but the program will process applications as efficiently as possible to review documentation and work with homeowners to complete the eligibility process. Timelines for successful complete application submission, eligibility review, and award determination may advance in as soon as 45 days of application if all homeowner documents provided and validated within requested deadlines.

Once the award has been determined and the homeowner signs the grant agreement and the work is assigned to a contractor, the contractors are given up to 150 days for the construction period, allowing for unforeseen circumstances and/or acts of God (natural disasters). While all circumstances of homeowners and properties are unique, as conservative forecast, if all deadlines are met, a homeowner may have a new home within six months of submitting a complete application for reconstruction projects, while repairs and replacements (mobile homes) would typically require less time due to less significant scope of work.

No but, the homeowner must find alternate housing during construction. In addition, homeowners are responsible for obtaining all necessary insurance after the repair or reconstruction is complete.

Funding for the program is allocated on a first eligible, first served basis, and in accordance with HUD-approved prioritization criteria to serve the most at-risk and vulnerable residents first. We recommend that homeowners submit a completed application as soon as possible in order to have the best chance for receiving assistance.

While all property circumstances and scopes of work are unique, and depending on the scale of the project, a conservative forecast for the estimated timeline of construction for a reconstruction for example will be approximately 150 days. A repair type of project would typically require less time out of your home due to a smaller scope of work.

Moving Assistance will not be offered but Storage Assistance will be offered.

Yes. Our team works to gather ownership records from the county to minimize the number of documents you are required to provide. If we cannot verify ownership status via county and/or state records, we may ask you to submit other documentation, including property tax records.

Your deed should be on file at the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Court.

Yes. Income is calculated based on combined household income. If anyone in your home (18 and over) earns income, we must collect documentation of that income. We must also collect documentation for unearned income (from all household members). If a homeowner has no income but receives cash on a regular basis from a friend or family member, this may be considered as income and should be documented as part of your application.

Yes. Each application will be reviewed to determine if previous assistance awarded to the applicant was used as intended, and if any funds were received for the same purpose. Your application must demonstrate that a “duplication of benefits” would not occur based on the assistance you are qualified to receive, and this is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Yes. During the intake and eligibility process we will work with all homeowners with unique circumstances to understand special needs such as disabilities or mobility or sensory impairments. Program homes are constructed in compliance with accessibility standards, when a homeowner completes required documentation in this regard.

No. We will have a list of contractors that have been contracted to perform repair and reconstruction on damaged homes.

Yes, translation and interpretation services will be provided as needed or requested. Case Managers on our team are fluent in Spanish and translators for additional languages are also available to applicants with limited English proficiency.

Subrecipients

The County is establishing subrecipient agreements with our three municipalities, the City of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace. 

Each city subrecipient will select and manage its own CDBG-DR-funded infrastructure projects, subject to County and federal oversight. Those projects, once selected and approved by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, will be added to the In My Neighborhood map with additional details about each.

Eventually, there will be additional subrecipients that support the County’s multi-family and special population housing programs, as well as the economic revitalization assistance program. 

A subrecipient is an organization that receives CDBG‑DR funds from Hillsborough County to help carry out an approved recovery activity. Under CDBG-DR funding, subrecipients may include local governments, nonprofit organizations, housing providers, or other eligible public or nonprofit entities. The process for selecting subrecipients is tailored to the activities and objectives outlined in the County’s HUD-approved Action Plan. 

Subrecipients are responsible for carrying out their activities as funded and in compliance with all federal requirements, maintaining complete and accurate records, submitting all required reports and reimbursement request documentation, and cooperating with County and HUD monitoring activities. Subrecipients are also responsible for ensuring that any contractors they engage comply with all program, contractual, and federal requirements. Even when funds are passed to subrecipients, Hillsborough County remains fully responsible to HUD for overall program compliance, monitoring, and reporting.

Hillsborough County will work with subrecipients on this program to:

  • Deliver programs efficiently and locally

  • Leverage existing community expertise

  • Reach residents and businesses most impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton

The County remains the HUD grantee and is ultimately responsible for compliance and oversight.

Only Hillsborough County signs the grant agreement with HUD. Subrecipients sign a subrecipient agreement with the County that flows down all federal requirements related to CDBG-DR funding.

Subrecipients must comply with all applicable federal requirements, including:

  • Duplication of Benefits (DOB)

  • Environmental review (24 CFR Part 58)

  • Civil rights and fair housing laws

  • Labor standards (including Davis‑Bacon, if applicable)

  • Procurement standards (2 CFR Part 200)

  • Uniform Relocation Act (URA) if displacement occurs

Yes, the County will provide CDBG-DR training for all selected subrecipients and will conduct ongoing compliance monitoring. 

Resources

If your question is not addressed here, please Contact Us for additional support.