Rebuild Florida
is a program of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) created to support communities following disasters by addressing long-term recovery needs for housing, infrastructure and economic development.
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When I was appointed to Executive Director of DEO, the Governor charged our agency with helping Floridians rebuild their lives after disasters. DEO's Rebuild Florida program is focused on utilizing every available resource to
support communities' long-term recovery efforts following disasters,
developing resilient communities and helping Floridians get back on their feet. I
t's been a busy month for Rebuild Florida and we have passed several important milestones, including:
- We launched an online survey to gather feedback on unmet Hurricane Michael needs and priorities of impacted communities and federal funding was finally announced to support long-term recovery from that storm.
- While we are awaiting federally required guidance to spend announced mitigation funding, we have moved forward to gather local feedback on mitigation priorities and challenges via an online survey.
These are just a few of the important developments this month at Rebuild Florida. There are many exciting things in the pipeline, and I hope you enjoy reading about what is happening as we push forward to help Florida communities rebuild following disasters.
Sincerely,
Executive Director Ken Lawson
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Rebuild Florida's First Home Repair Project
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Rebuild Florida completed the first repair of a Hurricane Irma damaged home in the City of Palm Bay.
The Palm Bay home, owned by Robert and Stacie Bark, suffered significant roof damage and a broken window from Hurricane Irma. After working through the
steps
to receive assistance, Rebuild Florida replaced the Bark's roof and broken window. To see photos of Rebuild Florida’s first home repair project, click
here
.
The Rebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement Program is helping eligible homeowners impacted by Hurricane Irma by repairing, rebuilding or replacing damaged homes across the
hardest-hit communities
.
Watch below to see how Robert and Stacie Bark were able to recover with the help of Rebuild Florida.
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Still Open:
Housing Repair and Replacement Program Registration
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After receiving feedback from impacted communities, DEO will continue to accept Hurricane Irma Rebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement Program registrations past the extended March 29 deadline.
Once a homeowner submits a registration, they will be invited to apply in phases with priority given to low-income individuals who are most vulnerable, including the elderly, those with disabilities and families with children under 18. To date, more than 14,600 Floridians have registered for assistance to rebuild, repair or replace hurricane Irma Damaged Homes.
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Rebuild Florida Business Loan Fund Launched
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Governor Ron DeSantis announced the launch of the Rebuild Florida Business Loan program with $40 million in state and federal funds to help small businesses that are still recovering from Hurricane Irma to rebuild and expand.
The Rebuild Florida Business Loan program can provide up to $500,000 in financing for the following business purposes: inventory purchases, construction or renovation, working capital needs, capital start-up loans, machinery and equipment purchases, equipment financing and more.
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$448 Million Announced for Hurricane Michael Long-Term Recovery
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On May 7, Director Ken Lawson and Office of Disaster Recovery leadership traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and members of the Florida congressional delegation, for long-term recovery funding for
communities in the Panhandle impacted by Hurricane Michael. On May 8, 2019, the President announced $448 million in CDBG-DR funding for Florida
long-term recovery needs for housing, infrastructure and economic development in
these areas. While the federal guidance necessary to release these funds has not yet been published, DEO is moving
forward with every step possible to be able to hit the ground running once the guidance is made available.
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Hurricane Michael Long-Term Recovery Survey
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DEO's efforts to be ready when federal guidance is published include the development of a federally required unmet needs assessment.
Input from local stakeholders will play a vital role in this unmet needs assessment.
DEO has created an online survey to generate feedback on unmet recovery needs and long-term recovery priorities of impacted communities and invites those in affected areas to participate.
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Share Your Priorities: Mitigation Program Survey
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the state of Florida would receive $633,485,000 for mitigation activities in Florida communities that experienced major declared disaster events during 2016 and 2017. This funding will help ensure that Florida's communities not only recover from previous disasters, but are prepared to weather future storms.
While HUD has not yet published required guidance to release the announced $633 million in mitigation funding, DEO is currently working to develop the federally required State Action Plan. A critical component of this plan is stakeholder input, and DEO has created an
online survey
to generate feedback on the priorities and needs for mitigation measures in communities across Florida.
We value the input of stakeholders from all Florida communities and invite you to participate.
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Disaster Recovery Resources
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Ways to Register for the Rebuild Florida Housing Program
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- Over the phone at 844.833.1010
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