At listening sessions this week in the Orlo Vista, Barnett Park and Bithlo areas, Orange County wants to make sure homeowners still affected by 2022's Hurricane Ian know there's money available for repairs.
County officials also want input on their action plan for $33.4 million in federal Housing and Urban Development relief following Hurricane Milton.
The Orange County Recovers program uses $35 million from the county's $219.7 million in HUD disaster relief for Hurricane Ian. For moderate- to low-income homeowners still living with damage from Hurricane Ian, the county will pay the contractors and oversee their work.
Mayor Jerry Demings announced the program last week.
"For individuals who are looking to repair their homes, they can get up to $250,000," he said. "If it requires a complete rebuild of an existing home, they can get up to $375,000.
For manufactured homes, the assistance is capped at $200,000.
"Residents are eligible if they owned and occupied their property at the time of Hurricane Ian and still own the property," according to a fact sheet from the county. "Eligible residents must have documented and unrepaired damage from Hurricane Ian and must be of low-to-moderate income, earning below 80% of the Area Median Income."
Homeowners can get more information and apply at OrangeCountyRecovers.com.
At last week's press conference, Mitchell Glasser, county's manager of the Housing and Community Development Division, said there was "lengthy application process and documentation" before the county could use the Hurricane Ian relief funds.
Now the county received an allocation for Hurricane Milton, Glasser said. "But because we have now all the policies and procedures and all the financial requirements in place, it will take much less time to actually put those monies out on the street.”
At the meetings, county officials also want input on their action plan for those HUD relief funds following Milton.
Here's the schedule for listening sessions in Orange County:
- March 11, 6 to 8 p.m., at Orlo Vista Elementary School, 3 N. Hastings St., Orlando.
- March 12, 6 to 8 p.m., at Barnett Park, 4801 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando.
- March 13, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Bithlo Community Center, 18501 Washington Ave., Orlando.
- March 25, 6 to 8 p.m., Sadler Elementary School, 4000 W. Oak Ridge Road, Orlando.
