6/26/2023

ICYMI: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to Host Citizen Workshops on Disaster Recovery Funds for Hurricane Ian-impacted Communities

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced it will host a series of citizen workshops to hear directly from Floridians about their unmet disaster recovery needs following Hurricane Ian, providing an overview of the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program and upcoming State of Florida Action Plan that will detail how this funding will address unmet recovery and mitigation needs, and offering impacted Floridians an opportunity to provide their input.

These citizen workshops follow listening sessions that DEO facilitated in the 24 counties impacted by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole throughout April and May 2023. Through the county listening sessions, DEO leadership gained valuable insight into long-term recovery needs in counties impacted by 2022 hurricanes, such as workforce affordable housing, infrastructure repair, and housing repair and replacement, and looks forward to hearing directly from citizens regarding their unmet needs.

DEO will host the series of citizen workshops in the following communities:

BREVARD COUNTY
Date: Thursday, June 22, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Brevard County Government Center
2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way
Building C, First Floor
Viera, FL 32940

PUTNAM COUNTY
Date: Friday, June 23, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Putnam County Government Complex
2509 Crill Ave., Suite 100
Palatka, FL 32177

MANATEE COUNTY
Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Time: 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Manatee County Administration Building
1112 Manatee Ave., West
Bradenton, FL 34205

PINELLAS COUNTY
Date: Thursday, June 29, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Pinellas Communications Building
The Palm Room
333 Chestnut St.
Clearwater, FL 33756

POLK COUNTY
Date: Thursday, June 29, 2023
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Polk State College – Winter Haven
Room WST-126
999 Ave. H Northeast
Winter Haven, FL 33881

COLLIER COUNTY
Date: Monday, July 10, 2023
Time: 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Collier County South Regional Library
8065 Lely Cultural Pkwy. #9005
Naples, FL 34113

HIGHLANDS COUNTY
Date: Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Time: 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Highlands County Administration Building
600 S. Commerce Ave.
Sebring, FL33870

CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Time:10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center
75 Taylor St.
Punta Gorda, FL 33950

On March 15, 2023, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that the state of Florida will receive more than $910 million in CDBG-DR funding to support long-term resiliency and mitigation efforts following Hurricane Ian in Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Seminole and St. Johns counties. DEO will lead the state’s efforts in developing the State Action Plan that will provide a high-level strategy for how funding will be used to address unmet, long-term recovery needs in the eligible Hurricane Ian-impacted communities.

HUD identified Lee, Orange, Sarasota and Volusia counties to receive direct funding allocations separate from the amount allocated to the state of Florida. Lee County will receive more than $1.1 billion, Orange County will receive more than $219 million, Sarasota County will receive more than $201 million and Volusia County will receive more than $328 million for disaster recovery and mitigation efforts. These four counties will be responsible for designing their own programs to address their communities' unmet needs, as well as administering any funds to run those programs. DEO is committed to working with all counties to swiftly administer long-term disaster recovery funds.

For more information, please visit www.RebuildFlorida.gov or email CDBG-DR@DEO.MyFlorida.com for answers to your specific questions.

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