Rebuild Florida Newsletter
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.
Director's Update

Since the launch of Rebuild Florida in September of 2018, we've been 100 percent focused on using every available resource to support communities' long-term recovery efforts following disasters. With unparalleled commitment from our Governor, and by leveraging every existing DEO partnership, we're not only helping Floridians get back on their feet but we're working to develop more disaster resilient communities. Since our last update, the Rebuild Florida team has been busy, including:





  • Continued assessing the unmet recovery needs and priorities in communities impacted by Hurricane Michael as we await required federal guidance, and more.
 
The state of Florida is committed to helping homeowners, small businesses and communities affected by disasters recover; and while Rebuild Florida is making important progress, our work is far from over. I hope t hat you enjoy reading about what is happening as we push forward to help Florida communities rebuild following disasters.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
Executive Director Ken Lawson
Rebuild Florida Voluntary Home Buyout Program Launched
Governor Ron DeSantis recently announced the launch of the $75 million Rebuild Florida Voluntary Home Buyout Program to help local governments purchase Hurricane Irma damaged homes from willing homeowners in high-risk flood areas and help reduce the impact of future disasters. Local governments in communities impacted by Hurricane Irma will be eligible to apply for funding.

Additional information on the Rebuild Florida Voluntary Home Buyout Program, including the Request for Applications, instructions on how to complete the application, program guidelines and more, can be found here .
Rebuild Florida Infrastructure Repair Program Launched
DEO recently launched the Rebuild Florida Infrastructure Repair Program , providing $85 million in grant funding to local governments to repair critical infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Irma. Local governments in communities impacted by Hurricane Irma will be eligible to apply for funding beginning July 29, 2019, and ending August 30, 2019.

Additional information on the Rebuild Florida Infrastructure Repair Program, including the Applicant Information Form, Proposal Information Form, Program Guidebook, and more, can be found here .
Rebuild Florida Workforce Affordable Housing Program Accepting Monroe County Proposals
The DEO, in partnership with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing), has launched the Rebuild Florida Affordable Workforce Housing Construction Program . The program provides $140 million for the construction of new affordable workforce housing to help address housing shortages worsened by Hurricane Irma. This funding is awarded by DEO’s Rebuild Florida program and will be administered by Florida Housing.

Florida Housing has opened a competitive application cycle for Monroe County, allowing housing developers and public housing authorities with experience in the development and management of rental properties to apply for funding. Local governments may partner with these entities to apply for funds.

Additional information on the Rebuild Florida Affordable Workforce Housing Construction Program, including the Request for Applications and more, can be found on the Florida Housing Website .
Rebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement Program Invites More than 3,000 Additional Homeowners to Apply for Assistance 
Rebuild Florida’s Housing Repair and Replacement Program launched in September 2018 to assist low-income homeowners whose homes were still damaged from Hurricane Irma. Rebuild Florida will manage and complete the construction process for the repair or reconstruction of damaged homes on behalf of homeowners.

In the last month, Rebuild Florida has invited over 3,000 additional homeowners to apply for assistance to repair or rebuild their homes. After receiving feedback from impacted communities, DEO continues to accept Hurricane Irma Rebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement Program registrations.

Want to register? You can do so online at RebuildFlorida.gov, in person at a Rebuild Florida center, or by phone by calling 844-833-1010.
Continued Hurricane Michael Efforts
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 Panhandle communities affected by Hurricane Michael. Since then, DEO has continued to take steps to ensure it can hit the ground running once the required federal guidance is made available.
 
This process includes developing an unmet needs assessment summarizing Hurricane Michael impacts and the remaining recovery needs across three sectors: (1) housing, (2) the economy, and (3) infrastructure.

Input from local stakeholders will be critical to 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. The survey is available below:
Movement on Mitigation Program Funding
Last week, Governor Ron DeSantis applauded the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for clearing the issues surrounding the release of $633 million in funding for mitigation efforts for communities impacted by Hurricanes Hermine, Matthew and Irma. The funding will come to the state through the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.

“I thank Secretary Carson and the officials at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for their efforts,” said Governor DeSantis. “Florida looks forward to a quick release of the federal guidance as a critical step in helping our communities who were devastated by these hurricanes rebuild stronger than before.” 

For more information about the CDBG-DR program, click  here . 
Share Your Priorities: Mitigation Program Survey
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.
Keep Up With Us On Social Media
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date on all Rebuild Florida programs and activities. Here are a few recent social media highlights you may have missed: 
Disaster Recovery Resources
Ways to Register for the Rebuild Florida Housing Program

  • Over the phone at 844.833.1010
Helpful Links:
www.RebuildFlorida.gov