LARGO, Fla. — Hurricane recovery from the 2024 storms is continuing across the Tampa Bay area, and in Largo, one community member is moving back into her home following a complete rebuild.
Melissa Arledge returned home after months of stress and worry following the 2024 storms that damaged her house.
Watch report from Maya Sargent
"We heard the wind of course and then when the trees fell on the roof, the whole house shook," Arledge said. "It was six, eight hours later before I could even go outside to look to see that there were trees on my roof. I have all these pictures. It was just horrific," Arledge said.
The damage required a complete rebuild from the ground up.
"They found that there was two major beams that were busted. The whole corner of my house, both beams were completely busted and the whole house was going to fall in," Arledge said.
Help to rebuild her home came from Pinellas Recovers, a county program that uses money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund disaster recovery.
Nearly two years after the hurricanes, demand for assistance remains high, according to Erica Henry, Disaster Recovery Program Manager for Pinellas County.
"Just based on our volume of applications that we received, the unmet need in Pinellas County is huge," Henry said.
The County says since October 2025, it has approved over 1,000 applications, representing an estimated $90 million investment in the community.
"We have plenty of funding available for applicants that have not applied or that have not been approved yet. We're approving applications every day," Henry said.
Programs available include homeowner rehabilitation, a homeowner reimbursement program, and a local landlord program.
For Arledge, the funding and support have given her a new start after two difficult years.
"When I wake up in the mornings, I'm still looking out the window. It's like, okay, this doesn't feel like my house. It's a brand new house, but it's on my land, so it must be mine!" Arledge said.
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Tampa Bay 28 reporter Maya Sargent is here to highlight the triumphs and explore the concerns from her neighbors in North Pinellas County. From Clearwater to Tarpon Springs and everywhere in between - fill out the form below to connect with Maya.
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