St. Pete Standard

The City of St. Petersburg has announced the launch of the Sunrise St. Pete initiative, a project funded by $159.8 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The initiative aims to support long-term recovery, housing, and infrastructure following the impacts of Hurricanes Idalia and Helene.

Sunrise St. Pete will involve community participation to ensure disaster recovery efforts align with the city's goals for resilience and equity. Residents are encouraged to engage in planning projects that focus on affordable housing, economic revitalization, infrastructure improvements, and community development.

An opportunity for residents to learn about the funds and provide input will occur during Mayor Welch's City Hall On Tour event on March 26, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at the Coliseum (535 4th Ave. N). More public input opportunities will be announced soon.

The timeline for Sunrise St. Pete includes several key stages:

- Public Input at City Hall On Tour on March 26, 2025

- Action Plan Development from March to May 2025

- Public Comment Period from May to June 2025

- Submission of Action Plan to HUD in July 2025

- HUD Review Process between July and August 2025

- Grant Agreement Finalization in Q3 2025

Within approximately two years, grant funds will be allocated for eligible projects. The City's Action Plan must adhere to HUD's requirements such as conducting an unmet needs assessment and ensuring program alignment with identified priorities.

Seventy percent of the funds must benefit low-to-moderate-income households with allocations including $139,030,000 for unmet needs and a mitigation set-aside of $20,854,000. Eligible activities under this initiative include housing development and rehabilitation, infrastructure improvements, economic development projects, mitigation efforts, public service programs (up to 15%), planning efforts (up to 15%), and administrative expenses (up to 5%).

Further information can be found at www.sunrisestpete.org.

City Hall On Tour is an ongoing effort by Mayor Welch and city leaders to bring government closer to residents through discussions about the city's future. The meeting on March 26 marks the first event in 2025 focused on gathering feedback for Sunrise St. Pete.