County staff receives notice just hours after manager of program provides update to County Commission
Late in the morning of June 4, Steve Hyatt a manager in the Sarasota County Office of Financial Management, provided an update to the County Commission about staff’s work in preparation for news on whether the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had signed off on the board members’ April 22 Action Plan for spending a new grant that HUD awarded the county early this year.
Hyatt has been overseeing what is known as the Resilient SRQ Program, which includes distribution of funds from a $201.5-million HUD grant in 2023 to respond to unmet needs in the community in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian’s strike in September 2022.
The latest HUD award — totaling close to $210.1 million — was awarded to the county in January to help residents affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and Tropical Storm Debby in 2024.
Running through a timeline involving the 2025 grant, Hyatt noted that, on April 25, staff submitted to HUD the proposed Action Plan. May 15, he said, was HUD’s deadline for returning any of the 2025 Action Plans to local governments for corrections. (Ten local governments in Florida, plus the state, also received HUD grants to use to help residents affected by the 2024 storm season.)
“And [HUD has] not returned our Action Plan for corrections,” he told the commissioners.
The previous day — June 3 — staff did meet with HUD representatives, Hyatt continued. “[They] had some very minor things,” he added, which needed to be updated in the Action Plan.
Then he pointed out, “They’re anticipating approving our Action Plan pretty much any day now.”
Just before 5 p.m. on June 4 — hours after Hyatt completed his presentation — county staff reporting that HUD indeed had signed off on the plan.
In a county news release, Hyatt said, “We’re excited to have official approval so we can continue the hard work of recovery from last year’s storms.” He added, “Our team is ready to support the community and put these funds to work, building on the continued progress made through Hurricane Ian recovery and addressing the impacts of these most recent storms.”
As Hyatt reminded the commissioners earlier that day, HUD’s focus is helping low- to moderate-income persons, those making up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) of the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). HUD’s 2025 Income Limits Documentation System for this year puts 80% of the AMI for a family of four in that MSA at $86,100.
Hyatt pointed out that approximately $147 million of the new funds will be set aside for those lower-income individuals.
However, in response to a question from Chair Joe Neunder, Hyatt said that staff had been able to start accepting applications for Hurricane Ian assistance from persons making up to 120% AMI, in the aftermath of the initial round of requests.
“We’re anticipating broadening [the income range]” with the new grant, as well, Hyatt told Neunder.
“Very good,” Neunder replied. “That 120% AMI, I think, will open doors that previously … were not opened” for people who need the help, Neunder added.
Hyatt also reminded the commissioners on June 4 that all of the latest HUD funds must be spent within six years.
Further, none of the federal money can be used to replace another funding source, he said.
Additionally, Hyatt pointed out, each allocation must have a tie back to one of the three major storms in 2024.
The June 4 county news release added, “With the Action Plan approved, staff will continue developing and launching the programs outlined in the plan. Application periods for major programs, including housing and infrastructure, are expected to open in the coming weeks and months.”
The release also noted, “Updates about application windows, eligibility, program guidelines and funding opportunities will be posted at 2024Storms.ResilientSRQ.net as they become available.”
Working to ‘get the funding out there’
During his June 4 presentation, Hyatt reminded the commissioners that, altogether, they agreed in late April to dedicate about $63.3 million of the $210,094,000 to housing-related programs and activities, including rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Given residents’ repeated pleas this year for county help in preventing future home flooding attributed to sediment buildup in creeks and other waterways, the commissioners dedicated $132,089,300 to Infrastructure & Public Facilities, with $45 million of that allocated to the dredging of Phillippi Creek from U.S. 41 to Beneva Road.
Another $30 million of that “pot” also could be used for cleaning out Phillippi Creek, the commissioners decided on April 22.
“We’re continuing to coordinate closely with our Stormwater [Division staff members] on the Phillippi Creek dredging,” Hyatt noted.
In an effort to be as prepared as possible in advance of the HUD notice of approval, Hyatt said multiple initiatives were underway, so staff can “hit the street and get the funding out there.”
Among those other activities, he noted, was the May 28 launch of a community survey in regard to home rehabilitation and reconstruction. “We have over 600 homeowners that have fully completed that survey,” Hyatt reported. “We’re very happy to see that happen in just a week’s time.”
Those responses are being evaluated, he said, to ensure that the persons meet HUD’s income threshold.
Further, he continued, a contractor has been secured “to help us mostly with our housing program.”
He and his colleagues in the Office of Financial Management had benefitted from their experience with the Hurricane Ian grant, Hyatt explained.
From the date of the formal disaster declaration after Ian hit until HUD approved that Action Plan, he noted, 488 days passed. To reach the same point with the grant for the 2024 storms, he pointed out, the period was 241 days.
Staff spent about $623,000 during the time it was waiting on the HUD sign-off on the Ian plan, he continued. Most of that, Hyatt noted, covered vendor expenses and community outreach.
With the new grant, he said, staff had spent only about $24,000. “Things are going as quickly as we can [and] as cheaply as we can,” Hyatt summed up the staff’s work.
“Fortunately or unfortunately, because of our experience with [Ian],” Commissioner Mark Smith pointed out, “we’re even more efficient this time.”
Chair Neunder told Hyatt, “It certainly appears that you’re leaner, faster, stronger.”
Hyatt did take the opportunity to extend his appreciation to the commissioners for their work on the Action Plan, as well as to Kim Radtke, director of the Office of Financial Management; and the team with which he has been working on the Resilient SRQ Program.
Many of the members of that team were in the audience that day in the Commission Chambers of the county Administration Center on Ringling Boulevard in downtown Sarasota. Neunder also recognized them.