Did Hurricane Helene or Milton damage your home in Hillsborough County, Florida? There’s a program that can help. It’s called the Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction Program, or HRRP. It can pay to repair your home, rebuild it, or pay you back for repairs you already made.
This program has over $211 million in funding. It’s a grant, not a loan. That means you don’t pay it back. But there is one condition to know about, and we’ll cover that below.
What Is the Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction Program?
HRRP is part of Hillsborough County’s “Rebuilding for Tomorrow” recovery effort. The money comes from a federal program. It’s meant to help homeowners whose damage wasn’t fully covered by FEMA, insurance, or other help.
The program can help you in three ways:
- Repair storm damage to your home
- Rebuild or replace your home if it was too badly damaged to repair
- Pay you back for eligible repairs you already made and paid for
It doesn’t matter where in Hillsborough County you live. You can apply if you live in Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City, or anywhere else in the county.
Here’s the one thing to know: if you get help from this program, you’re expected to stay in your home for three years. If you sell the home or use it as collateral before then, you may have to pay some money back to the county.
How Much Money Can I Get?
How much you get depends on how bad the damage is:
- Storm Damage Repair: up to $150,000, or half your home’s value before the storm, whichever is less
- Reconstruction & Replacement: up to $350,000, if your damage is worse than the repair limit above
- Repair Reimbursement: up to $50,000 for repairs you already finished, as long as they’re verified and up to code. You need at least $10,000 in repairs to qualify for this option.
This money is for your home. It doesn’t cover damage to your yard, landscaping, or fencing.
Who Is Eligible?
You may qualify if all of these are true for you:
- Your home is in Hillsborough County
- You own your home (this program is not for renters or landlords)
- Your home is a house, duplex, triplex, quadplex, or mobile home. Campers, sheds, and houseboats don’t count.
- Your home is not in a high-risk flood area called a “regulatory floodway”
- Your household income is at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for your area. Households at or below 80% AMI get priority.
- This home is where you live now, and where you lived when the storms hit. Second homes don’t qualify.
Income limits can change, so check the current income limits on the program’s page instead of relying on a number that might be outdated.
Income is based on your whole household. This includes anyone 18 or older living with you. If you have no income yourself, but someone else in your home does, that still counts. If a friend or family member gives you regular cash help, that may count too. Having no income of your own doesn’t stop you from applying.
How Do I Apply?
You can apply in three ways:
- Online, through the Rebuilding for Tomorrow website
- In person, at the Tampa Service Center (1029 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL 33604) or a Community Resource Center
- By phone, through the call center. You may still need a computer, phone, or in-person visit later to upload documents.
Need help in another language? Case managers speak Spanish, and translators are available for other languages too.
There’s no set deadline to apply. But funding is limited. The county helps the most vulnerable households first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions people tend to ask about this program and others like it.
Yes. During your intake, staff will ask about any disability, mobility issue, or sensory need you have. Your home will be built to accessibility standards if you provide the right documents.
No. The county has a list of approved contractors. Your project will go to one of them.
Yes. The program will try to confirm you own the home using county and state records. If that doesn’t work, you may need to show other proof, like property tax records. You can also get a copy of your deed from the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Court.
No. Homes bought after the storm don’t qualify, even if there’s storm damage.
It appears based on the attached documentation that some moving help may be offered if the home you are renting is being repaired through this program (see 3.2.1.2 in the Program Blueprint). Homeowners will need to find their own place to stay during construction but storage of belongings may be covered. You’re also responsible for getting insurance back in place once the work is done.
Relief Recap
A program that can pay up to $350,000 to rebuild your storm-damaged home, with no payback required, is worth knowing about. If Helene or Milton hit your home, check out our guides on FEMA disaster assistance and other Florida programs to see what else might help you.
