Commissioner Smith advocating for economic development aid to Siesta Key out of new federal hurricane recovery funding

On Feb. 11, commissioners to discuss use of latest $210 million from HUD

This is a slide that Steve Hyatt of the Office of Financial Management presented to the commission on Jan. 28, regarding the new federal grant and the timeline for county actions. Image courtesy Sarasota County

On Tuesday, Feb. 11, as part of the Sarasota County Commission’s discussion of options for spending a new federal grant for hurricane relief, Commissioner Mark Smith of Siesta Key has asked that part of the presentation focus on potential ways to help the barrier island’s commercial districts in their recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.

“A lot of the businesses out there are 40[%] to 50% below, year-over-year [in revenue],” Smith pointed out during a Jan. 28 discussion with the county staff member leading the program to distribute the new grant.

“They’re having a tough time keeping [workers] employed,” Smith added.

Both Siesta Key homeowners and business owners suffered significant damage from Helene’s storm surge in late September 2024, only to experience more damage from Milton, which it came ashore at Big Sarasota Pass on the night of Oct. 9, 2024, county staff has documented.

As The Sarasota News Leader has reported, the Federal Register on Jan. 16 made official a new grant of $210,094,000 directly to the county from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds can be used to aid in the response to the 2024 storms, including Tropical Storm Debby in August.

Members of the National Guard clean up debris on Siesta Key on Oct. 14, 2024, after Hurricane Milton struck. Still from a Sarasota County video

HUD has provided a tighter timeline for the county’s development of what is called an Action Plan, which must win HUD approval before any of the funds can be dispersed, as Steve Hyatt, manager of the Program Management Division within the county’s Office of Financial Management, explained to the commissioners during their regular meeting on Jan. 28.

Hyatt also noted that, as with the 2023 HUD grant of $201.5 million to the county — for recovery from 2022’s Hurricane Ian — about 70% of the new funds must be dedicated to helping low- to moderate-income individuals.

Following Hyatt’s remarks, Commissioner Smith pointed out, “A good number of commercial businesses and commercial districts were hit hard [on Siesta] last fall,” both in Siesta Village and in what is called the “South Bridge” district, which is the commercial area south of the Stickney Point Road-Midnight Pass Road intersection.

“Is there any funding available to help revitalize these commercial districts that, quite honestly, we need as a county to generate tax dollars that are being dampened by the lack of enthusiasm of folks wanting to go back to [the island]?” Smith asked Hyatt.

As an agency that represents businesses, could the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce perhaps apply for funding from the grant, Smith followed up.

Steve Hyatt addresses the board on Jan. 28. News Leader image

One of HUD’s eligible actions for funding does focus on economic development, Hyatt replied. However, in regard to businesses, he continued, the indication has been only that money could go toward creating new ones. Nonetheless, Hyatt said, opportunities exist for aid in regard to adding or rehiring staff, especially workers in households with low to moderate incomes.

He noted that the County Commission dedicated a portion of the earlier HUD grant to career and trades training, under what the county has christened the Resilient SRQ Program.

Hyatt summed up his understanding of the HUD priorities as no allowance for direct aid to businesses but the opportunity for indirect benefits, such as infrastructure improvements, affordable housing for employees, and planning studies to prevent or mitigate future storm damage on the island.

Smith replied that he was not thinking of direct help to businesses, but of aid to the business districts on the Key.

His sources, he added, have told him that such an effort “would rejuvenate the scene, you might say …”
Smith also pointed out, “What’s being affected is the low- to moderate-income workers” in restaurants and retail shops.

“A facelift [of the business districts] would help a great deal,” Smith added.

County Administrator Jonathan Lewis. File image

County Administrator Jonathan Lewis then suggested that Smith’s concerns be part of the Feb. 11 board discussion with Hyatt about spending priorities for the new grant.

In the meantime, Lewis stressed, affected business owners on Siesta should take the time to fill out the survey that county staff has launched in regard to priorities for the new HUD money.

Staff has noted that the online survey will be offered through Feb. 15, It may be found at ResilientSRQ.net/survey. Paper copies are available at county libraries, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension and Sustainability Sarasota office, and at several community centers and parks, county staff has noted.

Further, individuals are welcome to share their thoughts during one of the staff-organized Resilient SRQ public meetings listed below, staff has added:

  • Feb. 8 — 2 to 4 p.m. at the Fruitville Public Library, which stands at 100 Apex Road in Sarasota.
  • Feb. 13 — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library, located at 2801 Newtown Blvd. in Sarasota.
  • Feb. 15 — 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Gulf Gate Public Library, which stands at 7112 Curtiss Ave. in Sarasota.

“I just wanted to know if I should give [Siesta business owners] hope,” Smith told Lewis during the Jan. 28 discussion.

“You’ll know on Feb. 11,” Lewis replied.

The Feb. 11 agenda shows that discussion is scheduled as Item No. 22. It is the third discussion on the list, just ahead of Board Reports.

The meeting will take place at the R.L. Anderson Administration Center, which stands at 4000 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice. It will begin at 9 a.m.