Public Comment Sought for Lasting Manatee Draft Action Plan Funding
Manatee County is taking the next step in its long-term storm recovery efforts with its Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR), branded as Lasting Manatee by publishing their Draft Action Plan for the $252,711,000 in funding and opening it to the community for an official 30-day comment period.
“I think we’ve all read the draft report,” said Manatee Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Chair George Kruse during a presentation in the May 20, 2025, BOCC meeting. “It was way more detailed than I expected, an extensive report.”
The Draft Action Plan outlines how the County will use the funds to rebuild impacted areas, restore infrastructure, and harden Manatee County against future storms—particularly for low- and moderate-income households and communities. All Manatee County residents and organizations are encouraged to share their comment during the official 30-day comment period, which runs from May 21 through June 20, 2025.
“The public comment will be incorporated into the final action plan and then submitted to HUD by June 30,” said Grants Administration Division Manager Michele Davis. “We will include our responses to the comments within that action plan.”
The County is hosting two public hearings to collect feedback and engage with residents:
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
6:30 p.m.
John Marble Recreation Center
3675 53rd Ave E, Bradenton, FL 34203
Thursday, June 12, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Eternity Temple Church
716 29th St E, Palmetto, FL 34221
Public comments may also be submitted via web form, email, voicemail, or postal mail until June 20, 2025. The finalized Action Plan will be submitted to HUD for approval on June 30, 2025.
“We’re committed to making it easy and accessible to get informed,” says Lasting Manatee’s Communication Coordinator Odugo Ohizu, “even ensuring a hard copy of the Draft Action Plan is available to read at any full-service library in the county.”
For more details, or to read and comment on the Draft Action Plan, visit mymanatee.org/lastingmanatee#actionplan. A hard copy of the document can be read at any Manatee County Library except for the children’s Little Discovery Center.
For more information on Manatee County Government, visit online at www.mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/manatee.county.fl and on X, @ManateeGov.