Homeowner Hurricane Assistance Program (HHA)

Directed by the partnership of City Council and Mayor Castor, the Homeowner Hurricane Assistance program (HHA) launched in November 2025 to help Tampa homeowners affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton. The City of Tampa has a total of $2 million to distribute to primary homesteaded and income eligible residents. The program, Homeowner Hurricane Assistance (HHA) will prioritize homeowners in the hardest hit zip-codes, including Forest Hills/North Tampa, Palmetto Beach and South of Gandy/Port Tampa. The maximum award per household is $30,000.

General

The Homeowner Hurricane Assistance (HHA) Program is being established by the City of Tampa to assist homeowners whose properties sustained damage from Hurricanes Helene or Milton to assist with necessary repair costs.

The program will provide direct financial assistance (up to $30,000) to support housing recovery and stability for affected residents with:

• Home repairs still needed OR
• Reimbursement of prior home repair expenses

Households that previously received hurricane assistance from the City of Tampa’s HDAP program are not eligible to apply for HHA. Priority of assistance will be based on zip codes with the most damage reported.

HHA Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must reside in the City of Tampa
• Must be a homeowner with homestead status
• If the home has a mortgage, it must be current
• Household income up to 140% AMI + 10% (see chart below)
• Must have received damage from Hurricane Helene or Milton
• Must not have already received assistance from the City of Tampa for Hurricane damage

City of Tampa HHA Income Limits

Starting Monday, November 17th, online applications will be accepted every Monday through Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until December 12^th.

Online application

Persons needing assistance or accommodation with the application may call the Housing Information Line at (813) 307-5555, during the open application times (Monday through Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., November 17^th until December 12^th). Please note that the calls will be answered in the order that they are received.

HHA will prioritize applications in the hardest hit zip-codes, including Forest Hills/North Tampa, Palmetto Beach and South of Gandy/Port Tampa. 

Please note that homeowners who received assistance from the Homeowner Disaster Assistance Program (HDAP) earlier this year are not eligible for HHA.

Note: The following documents will be required once the applicant is deemed eligible for the program.

1. Applying for reimbursement of completed repairs

Applicant- Provided Documents

• Identification
  • Government Issued ID, all adults
  • Birth Certificates, all minors
• Proof of Income (all adult household members)
  • If employed – 1-month current pay stubs
  • If self-employed – 3 months of Profit & Loss Statements
  • If receiving SSI/SSDI – 2025 Benefit Statement
  • If receiving Child Support – Statement
• Home Ownership
  • Proof of Ownership Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts
  • Proof of Homestead Exemption Hillsborough County Property Appraiser
  • Proof of Current Property Taxes Hillsborough County Tax Collector
• Disaster Impact & Recovery
  • Legible Copies of all Contractor Invoices & Proof of Payments
  • Legible Copies of Receipts for Supplies
  • Legible Copies of all Required Permits & Inspection Reports

City-Provided Documents

• Privacy Policy
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form
• COT Authorization to release information
• Disaster Declaration Certification
• Duplicate of Benefit Certification
• Zero Income Certification
• W-9 Form

2. Applying for outstanding repairs not yet completed

Applicant- Provided Documents

• Identification
  • Government Issued ID, all adults
  • Birth Certificates, all minors
• Proof of Income (all adult household members)
  • If employed – 1-month current pay stubs
  • If self-employed – 3 months of Profit & Loss Statements
  • If receiving SSI/SSDI – 2025 Benefit Statement
  • If receiving Child Support – Statement
• Home Ownership
  • Proof of Ownership Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts
  • Proof of Homestead Exemption Hillsborough County Property Appraiser
  • Proof of Current Property Taxes Hillsborough County Tax Collector
• Disaster Impact & Recovery
  • Owner-Completed Repairs: Scope of Work, Itemized Cost for Supplies
  • Contractor-Completed Repairs: Scope of Work and/or Contractor Estimate

City-Provided Documents

• Privacy Policy
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form
• COT Authorization to release information
• Disaster Declaration Certification
• Duplicate of Benefit Certification
• Zero Income Certification
• Itemized Disaster-Related Repairs/Purchases
• W-9 Form

The HHA Program helps eligible Tampa homeowners repair hurricane-related damage from Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton. The goal is to make homes safe and livable again after storm impacts.

You may qualify if you:

• Live within the City of Tampa limits
• Own and occupy your home as your primary residence
• If the home has a mortgage, it must be current
• Your home is homesteaded
• Experienced damage from Hurricane Helene or Milton

Note: Homeowners who received HDAP assistance earlier this year are not eligible. Manufactured/mobile homes are not eligible for HHA.

Yes. The program will prioritize homeowners by zip codes in the hardest-hit areas, including:

Forest Hills/North Tampa (33612), Palmetto Beach (33605), and South of Gandy/Port Tampa (33616).

All HHA award recipients will be required to submit a W-9 Form with a verifiable Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) for IRS income-reporting purposes.

All payments are issued as a check to the homeowner that will be mailed via USPS.

Reimbursements for completed work are issued after HHA staff review all required documents, conduct an inspection to confirm completion, and issue final approval.

New repair awards are paid in two parts:

• The first half is issued after a pre-award inspection by HHA staff.
• The final half is issued after a post-award inspection by HHA staff confirms that all repairs are complete.

Please note: These inspections are conducted by HHA program staff and are separate from any inspections required for City of Tampa building permits.

After HHA staff completes a pre-award inspection and issues the first half of the award payment, eligible homeowners will have 90 days to complete all repairs, including obtaining and closing any required permits and inspections.

Any work not fully completed within the 90-day period will not be eligible for the final award payment.

Starting Monday, November 17th, online applications will be accepted every Monday through Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until December 12^th.

Persons needing assistance or accommodation with the application may call the Housing Information Line at (813) 307-5555, during the open application times (Monday through Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., November 17th until December 12th). Please note that the calls will be answered in the order that they are received.

If you need help determining permit requirements or completing a required permit, please visit Tampa Construction Services.

You should ensure that your Contractor is licensed, insured, and responsible to obtain any required permits. For help, please visit Selecting a Contractor in Hillsborough County