ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Shore Acres residents question how decisions were made in the state’s first round of Elevate Florida grants.

By the numbers:

More than 12,000 Floridians applied for the state’s new Elevate Florida program — aimed at helping homeowners raise their houses above flood risk. But, many of those hopeful applicants are now receiving rejection letters. A smaller number have been moved to the next phase.

Simple math prepared homeowners for that outcome. The pilot program aims to lift 2,000 flood-prone homes with a budget of $400 million. There was always going to be 10,000 disappointed homeowners.

What they're saying:

In Shore Acres, some homeowners had more hope, because the flood-prone neighborhood has repeatedly been hit hard by storms and felt their applications we

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