Aerial of Pinellas County looking from downtown Saint Petersburg Florida

The Wave

Your Pinellas County Government Newsletter

May 2025

A glance at people, programs & news from Pinellas County!

Public comment open through May 23 for $813 million disaster recovery fund

By the end of this month, Pinellas County will send a plan for our $813 million federal disaster recovery fund to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) plan outlines programs focused first on helping people rebuild homes and recover financially with additional support for businesses, nonprofits and restoring damaged infrastructure.

The draft plan remains available for public comment through May 23, with two additional virtual public meetings coming up this month:

Tuesday, May 13, 11 a.m.
Thursday, May 15, 6 p.m.

Meeting links at recover.pinellas.gov/meetings.

Once approved, the County expects to start rolling out programs to help our residents by this fall. You can view the full draft plan, a slideshow of key points and leave public comments at recover.pinellas.gov.

Get storm-ready with us ahead of hurricane season

Hurricane season is right around the corner, running from June 1 through Nov. 30. Check your evacuation zone and learn how to prepare your family, home, boat and more.

Want a fun and interactive way to prepare? We're teaming up with St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue and the City of St. Petersburg to host a free Hurricane Preparedness Day expo on Saturday, May 31. The family-friendly event will be packed with helpful resources and fun activities, including presentations by industry experts, free hurricane kit supplies, demonstrations, free pet services, kids’ activities and more. You can even enter for a chance to win a generator!

Event Details:

Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Willis S. Johns Recreation Center at Fossil Park

6635 Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. St. N.

St. Petersburg

Help USF understand your hurricane evacuation decision-making

Did you have to make a decision to evacuate or stay at home due to Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton? Help better inform emergency management and public health officials about your evacuation decision-making and experiences before, during, and after hurricane landfall. Click here to complete a 10-15 minute survey from the University of South Florida.

Spring Cleaning? Don't forget old gas and household chemicals

As you work on your spring cleaning, drop off your old gasoline and household cleaners at the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program’s free drop-off centers. Do it now before the start of hurricane season to avoid waiting in long lines right before a storm!

You can drop off household chemicals at:

HHW Center, 2855 109th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, open Tuesday through Friday and the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
HHW North, 29582 U.S. 19 N, Clearwater, open the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, visit Pinellas.gov/hhw.

West Klosterman Preserve saved for future generations

Pinellas County teamed up with WK Preservation Group to acquire this 14-acre property near Tarpon Springs, each contributing $1.5 million to make it happen. The purchase demonstrates the County’s commitment to work with local communities to protect diverse ecosystems and the species that inhabit them.

Celebrate your birthday with waived adoption fees

The dogs and cats at Pinellas County Animal Services want to celebrate your birthday with you, and they’re bringing a special gift to the party —waived adoption fees with their new Birthday Paw-ty Adoption Special.

To participate, visit Pinellas County Animal Services at 12450 Ulmerton Rd, Largo, within 10 days of your birthday, show valid proof of your birthdate (ID, driver’s license, etc.) and then browse the adoption center for your perfect match. Learn more about this Birthday Paw-ty program.

Protect our sea turtles during nesting season

It’s turtle nesting season, so let’s spread the word and protect our sea turtles. This year will be especially challenging because of the damages to our sand dunes and lost vegetation from the hurricanes. Adult and hatchling turtles will be more prone to disorientation from the lights on the first stories of many buildings. Here's how you can help.

Enhance your health with a Health Buddy

Health Buddies is a free Seniors in Service program that matches residents with compassionate, trained volunteers. Anyone over 18 with a phone who lives with a chronic condition and resides in Pinellas, Pasco or Hillsborough county can join to be matched with a Health Buddy. Health Buddies are background-checked volunteers over the age of 18. They can provide support and companionship, reduced loneliness, connections to community resources, and improved wellness. Click here to sign up, volunteer or learn more.