$500,000 state funding to expand Meals on Wheels
LARGO — Hundreds of homebound seniors across Pinellas County will continue to receive meal deliveries thanks to a $500,000 state investment awarded to Neighborly Senior Care Network as part of Florida’s 2026–27 state budget. The funding will allow the nonprofit to maintain services for seniors who were previously removed from the Meals on Wheels waiting list while adding new senior adults awaiting services.
In addition to Meals on Wheels, the organization provides transportation, adult day services, caregiver support and other essential resources that empower older adults to age safely and with dignity in the communities they call home.
This year, Neighborly is also celebrating its 60th anniversary and working toward its $60 for 60 fundraising campaign, a community effort to raise $60,000 to help support even more seniors throughout Pinellas County.
For more information, visit Neighborly.org.
‘Pinellas Recovers’ program to end July 31
Pinellas County’s “Pinellas Recovers” program will close new applications for its Homebuyer Assistance and Disaster Relief Reimbursement Program for renters July 31.
Applications for the People First Homeowner and Landlord Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Homeowner Reimbursement, and Disaster Relief Reimbursement Program for Homeowners will remain open.
Applications for the Homebuyer Assistance and Disaster Relief Reimbursement (renter) programs must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. July 31.
Residents can apply online and learn more at recover.pinellas.gov, visit an application center Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (there is one located at 2600 McCormick Drive No. 100 in Clearwater), or speak with a case manager by calling 727-606-3307.
Pinellas County also continues to offer a separate Down Payment Assistance Program, unrelated to Pinellas Recovers, with up to $75,000 for eligible lower-income homebuyers.
Luna gets $1 million for SPC tech lab
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) presented a $1 million check in federal funding on July 7 to support St. Petersburg College’s SMART Tech Industry 4.0 Lab, allowing the school to expand access to advanced workforce training and prepare students for high-wage careers in advanced manufacturing.
The funding will help SPC renovate existing educational space and purchase advanced equipment for the SMART Tech (Semiconductor, Mechatronics, Automation and Robotics Training for Technicians) Lab. Once complete, the lab will give students access to a digitally connected, real-world manufacturing training environment designed to reflect the technologies and equipment used across modern industry.
SPC developed the SMART Tech project to meet the growing regional and national demand for skilled technicians in semiconductor, mechatronics, automation, and robotics technologies. By expanding hands-on training and stackable certifications, the project will help students build skills for careers in fields such as microelectronics, construction, energy, and medical technology.
The SMART Tech Industry 4.0 Lab will be developed at the SPC Midtown Center campus.
Law requires more accurate tax estimates on residential listings
CLEARWATER — A new Florida law will require more accurate property tax estimates on online residential real estate listings beginning February 1, helping prospective homebuyers better understand their potential property taxes before purchasing a home.
The new law addresses one of the most common sources of confusion for homebuyers by ending the longstanding practice of using a seller’s current property taxes as an estimate of what the new owner will owe. Following a change in ownership, a property’s assessed value generally resets to market value, often resulting in property taxes that are significantly higher than the seller’s.
Beginning Feb. 1, online residential real estate listing platforms that choose to display estimated property taxes must use a standardized methodology based on the property’s listing price and information published by the Florida Department of Revenue. Listing platforms that do not provide an estimate may no longer display the seller’s current property taxes and instead must direct consumers to the county property appraiser’s tax estimator or website.
The Property Appraisers’ Association of Florida developed the proposal that became the Disclosure of Estimated Ad Valorem Taxes legislation, originally filed as SB 856 by Senator Nick DiCeglie and HB 827 by Rep. Adam Anderson.