County Seeks Community Input for $252M Disaster Recovery Initiative
By Lisa Neff
Manatee County officials are inviting residents to participate in the planning phase of a major disaster recovery effort funded by a $252 million federal grant.
The Lasting Manatee initiative aims to address unmet needs following the devastation caused by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton in 2024.
A community meeting will be held at 6 p.m. May 13 at the Central Library in Bradenton, where people can suggest how the funds should be allocated.
“We want the community to be a part of the solution,” read a notice from the county. “This is an opportunity for residents to help shape how these recovery funds will benefit the areas most impacted by last year’s storms.”
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Relief program. Congress, in December 2024, allocated $12 billion nationally to assist disaster-impacted areas.
Some parameters exist for spending the money, which is intended to seed recovery, especially in low- and moderate-income areas that otherwise might not recover due to limited resources.
HUD requires that 70% of CDBG-DR funds be spent on efforts that benefit low- and moderate-income populations in four areas of focus: housing, public facilities and infrastructure, economic revitalization, public services and mitigation.
On May 6, county commissioners approved a recommendation to allocate funds to each municipality in proportion to its percentage of the population of the county as a whole — based on 2023 Census data:
• Unincorporated Manatee: 82.28%
• Bradenton: 12.94%
• Palmetto: 3.08%
• Holmes Beach: 0.69%
• Longboat Key: 0.58%
• Anna Maria: 0.23%
• Bradenton Beach: 0.21%
Now the Lasting Manatee team is reaching out to municipal officials, asking them to help identify projects and needs, as well as gathering information from other sources, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and insurance companies.
However, residents’ input also is essential to ensure the money helps residents heal and strengthen their communities against future storms, according to the county notice.
In addition to the planned May 13 meeting, a community meeting took place April 24 at Eternity Temple Church in Palmetto, with 50-60 residents attending.
People who cannot attend the meeting at the library, 1301 Barcarrota Blvd. W., Bradenton, can read more and participate in the planning process at mymanatee.org/lastingmanatee.
The county goal is to draft an action plan by May 20, hold public hearings in the weeks after and submit a plan to HUD by June 30.
About Lasting Manatee
Lasting Manatee is administering Manatee County’s $252,711,000 allocation from the HUD Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Relief program.
The initiative focuses on helping the county recover from the 2024 hurricanes while building resilience against future natural disasters. For more information, visit mymanatee.org/lastingmanatee.
About HUD’s CBDG-Disaster Relief program Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery grant funds are appropriated by Congress and allocated by HUD to rebuild disaster-impacted areas and provide seed money to start the long-term recovery process. These flexible grants help cities, counties, Indian tribes and states recover from presidentially-declared disasters, especially in low-income areas. To watch a video about the program, go to https://www.hud.gov/hud-partners/community-cdbg-dr
