ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It’s hurricane season again, but in one of St. Pete’s hardest-hit neighborhoods, recovery from Hurricane Helene is still far from complete. In Shore Acres, residents packed into a community meeting hoping for answers — and for relief from the state’s new home-elevation program.

The backstory:

More than 550 homeowners in Shore Acres applied for the state’s pilot program, Elevate Florida, which helps raise homes out of flood zones. But state officials said only about 20% of applicants from the neighborhood — between 100 and 150 homes — are expected to be accepted or placed on a wait list.

"I know a lot of people were denied and are upset about that, but 100 to 150 homes in Shore Acres are going up. That is amazing — a win," said Kevin Batdorf, the president of

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