As hurricane season begins, County highlights major green‑infrastructure initiatives aimed at reducing future storm impacts and supporting long‑term recovery from the 2024 hurricane season
In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Hillsborough County more than $709 million through its Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program to support ongoing hurricane recovery efforts.
As part of these efforts, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners voted on April 15, 2026, to invest $18 million of CDBG-DR funding into three green infrastructure projects. These projects will help reduce coastal flooding, improve stormwater management, and restore environmentally sensitive lands that serve as natural buffers during severe weather events.
- Kracker Avenue Coastal Habitat Restoration Project ($2 million): This project will restore 25 acres of disturbed coastal wetlands and uplands in Gibsonton, adjacent to Tampa Bay. Designed to capture stormwater runoff and lessen storm surge impacts, the restoration will help protect U.S. Highway 41, a major Emergency Management Services route to south Hillsborough County.
- Stacy R. White Nature Preserve Hydrologic Stream Restoration Project ($6 million): Aiming to restore 93 acres of stream habitat and wetlands in the historic headwaters of Little Bullfrog Creek, this project addresses an area that experienced record flooding during Hurricane Milton. Restoration efforts will increase onsite water storage, slow stormwater flow, and help reduce downstream flooding in Riverview, Gibsonton, and other vulnerable parts of Bullfrog Creek.
- Acquisition and Restoration of Natural Lands along the Eastern Tampa Bay Shoreline ($10 million): This project includes acquiring and restoring highly disturbed lands along Tampa Bay's southeastern coastline. By preserving and rehabilitating these vulnerable areas, the project will increase onsite water storage, help reduce the intensity of storm surge flooding, and mitigate risks to U.S. Highway 41 and nearby coastal properties.
These projects build on the County's broader strategy to improve stormwater drainage and reduce future flood risk across some of the county's most flood‑prone communities.
Since the establishment of the Jan K. Platt Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program (ELAPP) in 1987, the County has been at the forefront of acquiring and protecting environmentally sensitive lands. To date, the County has acquired approximately 66,200 acres through ELAPP, making it the largest local land acquisition program in the state of Florida. These lands are managed by Hillsborough County Conservation & Environmental Lands Management (CELM) for environmental sustainability and passive recreation. The three CDBG-DR funded projects will serve to continue CELM's focus on acquiring, restoring, and managing natural lands for long-term community benefit.
For more information about CDBG-DR projects and expected benefits, visit rebuildingfortomorrow.hcfl.gov.