The number of fatalities because of Brightline train collisions since 2017 unofficially stands at about 214, including 17 in 2026. The company says that is down 30% compared to 2025.

Nearly halfway through 2026, high-speed Brightline trains in Florida have now been involved in over 200 deaths since 2017, even as the company stresses its ongoing safety improvements.

Push for Elevate Florida funding

Almost two years after Hurricane Helene, some people are still waiting to get back into their homes. They’ve been on hold waiting for help from the Elevate Florida program. FOX 13’s Kylie Jones reports. 

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Some homeowners in St. Pete are still waiting for funding to raise their home after it flooded during Hurricane Helene.

One couple is still waiting for an update on their application to the Elevate Florida program — after about a year with no progress.

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Elevate Florida program delays

What we know:

Jason and Carrie Nash’s home in Shore Acres had about four feet of water inside after Hurricane Helene. It solidified their decision to raise their home.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management opened the Elevate Florida program following Helene. The program is expected to cover approximately 75% of the costs to lift homes using federal grant money from FEMA. The homeowner would be expected to cover the remaining 25% of the cost.

The couple applied to the program and received an email last summer from Elevate Florida, saying the stat​e had sent their application to FEMA for further review. Jason Nash says in November, they still hadn’t heard anything.

Mixed reactions as Shores Acres awaits ‘Elevate Florida’ decisions

He says they got an email from Elevate Florida in March, explaining that FEMA processing has been repeatedly delayed by factors outside the control of the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Elevate Florida. Last week, Pinellas County state lawmakers signed a letter to congressional leaders, calling on them to urge federal agencies to expedite the grant approval process.

“To put some more staffing, expedite the awards of these programs,” Rep. Lindsay Cross said.

Cross says that because the grant money being awarded is coming from federal funding, they don’t have direct control at the state level.

“Once that award comes, there’s still the stages of designing and permitting and getting people temporary housing in some cases,” she said.

According to the Elevate Florida website, federal grant requirements added extra review steps in June of last year, which could impact the timeline of the program.

St. Pete housing gridlock

What they’re saying:

Nash and his wife haven’t been able to live in their home for almost two years. The couple has been renting, while they wait to hopefully get awarded a grant from Elevate Florida.

“We not only have double rent, double bills, double everything, but on top of that, we’re paying for a storage unit to house all of our belongings in,” Nash said.

Nash says he’s reached out to leaders on the local, state and federal level, but feels like he isn’t getting answers.

“The worst thing that somebody can tell you in life is ‘Maybe’, because it still gives you hope,” he said. “And that’s all we’re getting, is ‘Maybes.’”

Stalled federal grant awards

What we don’t know:

It remains unclear exactly when FEMA will finalize the remaining applications. Nash says they received an email from Elevate Florida last week, saying 16 projects had been awarded funding, and that FEMA was continuing to award grants and would update homeowners.

FOX 13 reached out to the Florida Division of Emergency Management and is waiting for a response.

The other side:

On Monday night, a FEMA representative shared the following statement:

“FEMA obligates Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds to the state, not homeowners directly. Elevate Florida is a state-managed mitigation program. Questions should be sent to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.”

FEMA also directed people to its latest updates on funding awarded in Florida here.