Gov. DeSantis announces property tax relief for homeowners affected by Hurricane Helene

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday morning held a news conference in the Tampa Bay area as residents continued to clean up after Hurricane Helene.

MORE |‘I don’t know if I’m ready’: Meteorologist Mark Collins returns to his Gulf Coast hometown after Helene’s devastation

DeSantis and other state officials spoke in Madeira Beach.

As of Wednesday morning, DeSantis said 2.38 million accounts had power restored, leaving 20,000 outages, primarily in the Big Bend region.

Emergency repairs on Gulf Drive on Anna Maria Island were completed within 48 hours, DeSantis said, and 50,000 cubic yards of sand were removed from Gulf Boulevard in St. Pete Beach.

Various relief measures were provided, including generators and ambulance strike teams. Property tax relief was announced for affected homeowners, and travel trailers were available for temporary housing.

DeSantis emphasized zero tolerance for looting and extended tax deadlines for affected businesses.

DeSantis also announced that all Florida school districts are operational.