City of St. Petersburg Launches Three New Sunrise St. Pete Programs

City of St. Petersburg Launches Three New Sunrise St. Pete Programs

July 27, 2026 - The City of St. Petersburg has launched three new Sunrise St. Pete programs that are designed to help residents recover from the impacts of Hurricanes Idalia and Helene, while also strengthening the community's long-term resilience.

Funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, the Homebuyer Assistance Program, Voluntary Buyout Program, and Non-Profit Community Support Services Program expand the City's Sunrise St. Pete initiative, which delivers long-term disaster recovery resources to residents and neighborhoods affected by recent storms.

Homebuyer Assistance Program

The Homebuyer Assistance Program helps eligible households overcome financial barriers to purchasing a home in St. Pete. The program offers up to $80,000 in assistance to eligible homebuyers to help with down payments, closing costs, and principal reduction through a 0% interest deferred loan. Applications are submitted through participating lenders on behalf of eligible homebuyers.

Residents interested in the Homebuyer Assistance Program are encouraged to check their eligibility and learn how to apply at https://www.stpete.org/Sunrise/HAP.

Voluntary Buyout Program

The Voluntary Buyout Program offers eligible property owners in designated Disaster Risk Reduction Areas (DRRA) the opportunity to voluntarily sell their property to the City at post-disaster fair market value. The program also provides Safe Housing incentives to help eligible owners relocate to a safer primary residence within the city. Properties acquired through the program will be preserved as open space or used for flood mitigation, stormwater management, and other resilience purposes.

Property owners interested in the Voluntary Buyout Program are encouraged to check whether their property is within an eligible DRRA and complete the Expression of Interest form at https://www.stpete.org/Sunrise/VBP.

Non-Profit Community Support Services Program - Mental Health Services Request for Applications

The Non-Profit Community Support Services Program provides targeted funding through a series of Request for Applications (RFA) to eligible nonprofit organizations to ensure essential community services remain available as St. Pete continues its long-term recovery from Hurricanes Idalia and Helene. The first RFA, focused on providing mental health services and wraparound support to city residents in an interconnected ecosystem of care, is now accepting applications. The City is procuring three Core Services through this RFA including Case Management, Assertive Outreach, and Clinical Mental Health Services. The City anticipates awarding approximately $1,250,000 in funding under this RFA.

Eligible nonprofit organizations are encouraged to review the RFA requirements and apply at https://www.stpete.org/Sunrise/Nonprofit.

About Sunrise St. Pete

Sunrise St. Pete is the City of St. Petersburg's long-term disaster recovery initiative, funded through HUD's Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program following Hurricanes Idalia and Helene. The initiative provides programs and resources that support housing recovery, neighborhood resilience, and community revitalization while helping residents recover and prepare for future storms.

To learn more about the Sunrise St. Pete and its available recovery programs, visit https://www.SunriseStPete.org.