TAMPA, Fla. — The City of Tampa is opening pre-applications for hurricane assistance for homeowners impacted by last year's hurricanes.

The city is offering three types of disaster relief, funded by its State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds.

Families or individuals making less than $133,700 a year will be eligible.

Homeowners can apply for up to $5,000 in assistance to help pay mortgage expenses, $10,000 for insurance deductible assistance and $20,000 in home repair assistance.

Homeowners can apply for all three categories for assistance but can only receive up to $20,000 in help.

The city will have $3.2 million available to aid homeowners still struggling from last year's hurricane season.

District 7 City Council member Luis Viera said people living in the hardest hit areas of the city are facing growing challenges.

“I’ve met with so many of these families,” Viera said. “I’ve had about a dozen community meetings and town halls in the north Tampa area just to talk to people.  I visit people at their home, talk to them about what is happening in their lives, and we are still not done with the hell that these families are going through. 

They are going through terrible things right now and we need to be there for them.”

For more information on applying for assistance, the city is hosting two community forums this week: 

• Seminole Heights Community Meeting

WHEN: Tuesday, March 25th from 3 – 7 p.m.

WHERE: Seminole Heights Garden Center, 5800 N Central Ave.

• New Tampa Community Meeting

WHEN: Thursday, March 27th from 3 – 7 p.m.

WHERE: New Tampa Recreation Center, 17302 Commerce Park Blvd