The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $615,922,000 to assist with recovery efforts in Florida for areas impacted by Hurricane Irma.
The grant comes via HUD’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program. It will be used towards the repair of damaged homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure caused by the category three hurricane, which hit Florida on Sept. 10.
“President Trump and the entire federal family stand with the people of Florida to help them recover from this devastating storm as quickly as possible,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said. “HUD and the State of Florida will work together to speed the rebuilding of seriously damaged homes and businesses that lack the resources to recover on their own if not for these recovery dollars.”
Hurricane Irma caused approximately $50 billion in damages to Florida alone.
“I want to thank HUD and the Trump Administration for supporting those whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Irma. These funds will help Floridians rebuild their lives following the devastation of Hurricane Irma. We must continue to work to ensure everyone impacted by this storm can fully recover,” Florida Governor Rick Scott said.
To determine the amount, HUD relied on information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) on the number of seriously damaged homes without adequate insurance and businesses that did not qualify for SBA’s disaster loan program. The grant is designed to meet needs not met by private insurance or other sources of federal assistance.
State and local governments are required to spend these dollars in the areas HUD deems to be most impacted.