PASCO COUNTY — Pasco County officials are holding a series of meetings to get community input regarding a $585 million federal grant recently awarded to the county.
What You Need To Know
- Pasco County seeks input from community regarding a $585 million hurricane relief grant
- Seven public meetings will be held during April and May
- For information on times and locations click here or scroll to the bottom of this page
The money was issued through the Department of Housing and Urban Development because of damage caused by Hurricanes Dalia, Milton and Helene.
The grant is being issued through HUD’s Community Development Disaster Recovery Program. It’s the first time the federal grant has been issued directly to a county or municipality, said Marci Espberg, the senior program administrator for the Pasco County office of Disaster Recovery Resources.
“It the past they would have awarded it to the state and then we would’ve had to apply to the state,” said Espberg.
Now that the county has been awarded the $585 million grant directly, they have much more oversight over how it can be spent.
“So, these meetings will begin on April 14 and they are to get public input for the $585 million grant that we received from HUD on how to spend the money,” said Espberg.
Espberg, said there are more than five eligible ‘buckets’ that the funding can be used for. The first is housing.
“So, we can replace housing, repair housing,” said Espberg. “We can build mobile homes. repair mobile homes. We could build new affordable housing. We can build it for single family or multi-family housing.”
Then there is infrastructure and economic revitalization.
“We want to know how our businesses impacted by the storms and what kind of loans, or grants or programs can we do to help revitalize the business community,” she said.
Additionally, of the $585 million, $76 million must be put aside strictly for mitigation purposes to ensure a safer Pasco County in the future.
“Then last but not least there is money that can be put toward public services like services for the homeless, healthcare, work employment like job placement skills,” she said.
Meeting Schedule:
Monday, April 14, at 6 p.m.
J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex, 2830 Gulf Trace Blvd, Holiday
Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m.
Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Rd, Hudson
Monday, April 21 at 6 p.m.
Moore-Mickens Education Center, 38301 Martin Luther King Blvd, Dade City
Thursday, May 1, at 12 p.m.
Virtual townhall
Tuesday, May 13, at 6 p.m.
Zephyrhills Train Depot, 39110 South Ave, Zephyrhills
Monday, May 19, at 6 p.m.
Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, 3021 Sports Coast Wy, Wesley Chapel
Tuesday, May 20, at 5 p.m. (following BCC meeting)
West Pasco Government Center, 8731 Citizens Dr, New Port Richey
