HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, fla. — Two pop-up service centers are opening in Plant City and Wimauma for the month of June to help residents apply for hurricane relief funds. The county explained that more than $ 200 million is set aside for homeowner assistance through the Rebuilding for Tomorrow Home Repair and Reconstruction program.
Homeowners can apply for money to repair or rebuild their homes. They can even seek reimbursement for repairs already done. People in Plant City said the cost of home repairs has been a financial burden.
“My roof was damaged. I had water damage that came in,” Solomon Vreen said.
Vreen was born and raised in Plant City. He told me he spent about $12,000 out of pocket to repair his roof. Now he is applying for reimbursement for the roof, but he’s also seeking help for additional repairs.
Vreen said, “Basically, the electricity lines and all that kinda stuff is affected to this day. That’s why I’m here I’m getting shortages.”
He said he may need to rewire his entire home. The county said those are the types of issues this funding is designed to address. Traci Stickney with the county said they added the pop-up centers in Plant City and Wimauma because the need there is great.
Stickney said, “It’s where we’ve seen some of the hardest hit homes from Helene and Milton.”
There are some requirements to qualify. You must be the homeowner and have owned the home at the time of the 2024 hurricanes. The program is also income based, capped at 120 percent of the area median income. The county tells me they will prioritize people at 80 percent of the AMI.
If you have questions or need help applying, you can visit either pop-up center:
- The center is open in Wimauma on Mondays in June from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Wimauma Community Health Center, 16621 Lagoon Shore Blvd.
- It is open in Plant City on Tuesdays in June from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Plant City Community Resource Center, 307 N. Michigan Ave.
Residents can also call (813) 540-7767 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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