City of St Pete - Post Disaster Permit Information

From: Joe Waugh <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 10:00 AM

Good morning,
 
As a quick follow-up, this letter will be received by anyone without an approved permit, so property owners who have applied and are in the plan review process will receive a letter as well.  No action is needed on their part if they are actively moving through the permitting process.  They, or their contractor, likely received an email from the permitting department recently advising them of the status of their permit.  Unfortunately, we have a large number of owners who previously submitted for permits but never completed the process or abandoned the permit entirely.  Due to technology limitations, we are unable to isolate those specific properties for the purposes of the mailer without causing significant delays.  While I understand this may cause frustration with those owners who are actively working through the permit process, the fluid nature of the permit review/approval process causes statuses to change daily.  We are available to assist with any questions or concerns, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you,
 
Joe Waugh
Managing Director, Neighborhood Services
Codes Compliance, N-Team, Neighborhood Relations, St. Pete Service Center
City of St. Petersburg
727-892-5792
[email protected]
​​

---

​From: Joe Waugh
Sent: Tuesday, December 2, 2025 4:49 PM
​
Good afternoon,
 
I hope this email finds you well as your neighborhoods continue to recover from the impacts of last year’s storms.  As the city continues to navigate the damage assessment and post disaster emergency permitting process (PDEP) for the roughly 4,000 properties that have yet to obtain permits for repairs, the attached letter will be mailed to impacted residents on Wednesday, December 3rd,.  Understanding that many of your neighborhoods have hundreds of residents that will receive this letter, I wanted to share it with you in the event that you are contacted about the letter.
 
A few main points from the letter include:
 

• Recent City Council approval to waive after-the-fact penalties if work was already completed without a permit.
• Options to obtain permits for repairs that have already been completed.
• Important factors to consider for property owners who have not yet obtained permits, including impacts to potential assistance through Sunrise St. Pete recovery funds.
• Guidance and contact information to start the permitting process.
• Contact information for the Codes Compliance Department if property owners believe they were identified as receiving storm damage in error.

 
In response to prior mailings, city staff have been inundated with phone calls and emails, leading to some delays in response time.  We appreciate everyone’s patience as the various departments manage the additional workload, and I encourage you all to reach out to me directly if you hear from residents who are having difficulty reaching city staff and I will do my best to get them in contact with the appropriate representatives.
 
Additionally, we are aware of growing concerns from residents in many of your neighborhoods regarding properties that were damaged and are now unoccupied/abandoned.  The Codes Compliance staff are focused on identifying these properties and addressing any visual blight (overgrown vegetation, accumulation of junk/debris) and life-safety concerns (unsecured openings).  If an owner is unresponsive, the city is able to abate these violations (cut grass, remove junk, secure openings, etc.) to minimize impacts to the surrounding properties and neighborhood. 
 
Thank you for your dedication and leadership during these challenging times.  Please feel free to reach out to me with any additional questions you may have.
 
Thank you,
 
Joe Waugh
Managing Director, Neighborhood Services
Codes Compliance, N-Team, Neighborhood Relations, St. Pete Service Center
City of St. Petersburg
727-892-5792
[email protected]
 
Pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, any written or electronic communications to the City, including but not limited to email addresses, emails, attachments, forms, and applications are subject to public disclosure unless expressly made exempt by Florida Statute.