Resilient SRQ opens Housing Recovery Program for homeowners affected by Hurricanes Ian, Debby, Helene and/or Milton

 

 

Resilient SRQ opens Housing Recovery Program for homeowners affected by Hurricanes Ian, Debby, Helene and/or Milton

Francesco Abbruzzino, The Uncensored Report, LLC

 

SARASOTA COUNTY – Sarasota County homeowners affected by Hurricanes Ian, Debby, Helene and/or Milton are invited to apply for assistance through the Resilient SRQ Housing Recovery Program. This program offers help with repairing or rebuilding homes or reimbursing eligible out-of-pocket expenses.

Sarasota County was awarded two separate allocations totaling $411.6 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program.

Resilient SRQ initially launched the Housing Recovery Program in June 2024, with $55 million allocated to rehabilitate and reconstruct homes and reimburse eligible homeowners affected by Hurricane Ian. An additional $33.3 million is proposed for homeowners impacted by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, with the draft Action Plan for the 2024 storms submitted to HUD on April 25, 2025.

The program is now open to homeowners impacted by any of these storms and aims to address the community’s ongoing recovery needs.

Homeowners can begin the application process by completing an interest survey online through ResilientSRQ.net. The survey is required to determine conditional eligibility and receive an invitation to complete  the full application. Full applications will be sent to eligible homeowners on a rolling basis as Resilient SRQ staff reviews surveys and prepare for next steps.

To qualify for the program, Sarasota County residents must meet the following criteria at the time of application submission:

·        Own the damaged home (both currently and at the time of the qualifying disaster).

·        Have experienced damage to the home from the qualifying disaster.

·        Use the damaged home as a primary residence (both currently and at the time of the qualifying disaster).

·        Maintain a mortgage in good standing or be on a payment plan in good standing.

·        Have a household income at or below 120 percent of Sarasota County’s area median income (AMI). See income limits below.

Application Process:

1. Submit the homeowner interest survey online.

2. Conditionally eligible applicants will be invited to complete a full application.

3. Applicants will be assigned an eligibility specialist to assist with questions, finalize the application and complete required documents.

4. Program staff will conduct a home inspection to verify the home’s condition.

5. If eligible, applicants will receive an award determination:

A.     For reimbursements: Homeowners will receive funds for repairs that were completed prior to applying.

B.     For rehabilitation or reconstruction: A Sarasota County contractor will be assigned to begin the process.

Applications will be accepted as long as funding is available.

For assistance completing the survey, call 941-861-5309 or email info@ResilientSRQ.net. Translation services are available. To stay informed about program developments and upcoming events, sign up at ResilientSRQ.net.