The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced on Wednesday that more than $60 million is now available to local governments, state agencies, Community Revitalization Agencies, Community Development Districts, and non-profits in communities impacted by Hurricane Michael through the Rebuild Florida Hometown Revitalization Program.
The program, administered by DEO, is designed to support the recovery of economic activity in commercial areas of Hurricane Michael-impacted communities, facilitating the return and recovery of businesses, jobs, and provision of goods and services to the area. Hurricane Michael hit the Sunshine State two years ago.
The funds are allocated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.
“Governor DeSantis made a commitment to provide disaster recovery support to the communities hit by Hurricane Michael, and we are delivering on that promise,” said Dane Eagle, the executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “The Rebuild Florida Hometown Revitalization Program will ensure that downtown and commercial districts impacted by Hurricane Michael will be restored and help spark economic growth in these communities.”
The Rebuild Florida Hometown Revitalization Program makes funds available to local governments, state agencies, Community Revitalization Agencies, Community Development Districts and community-based development organizations within the federal and state Most Impacted and Distressed (MID) areas. Non-profits that are primarily engaged in community redevelopment activities may apply in partnership with a state agency or local government.
The deadline to complete an application is February 16, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. (EST). Department staff will be available to provide technical assistance to eligible entities during the application process.
To provide potential applicants with more information about the Rebuild Florida Hometown Revitalization Program, the Department will host a webinar at 2:00 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, December 3, 2020.
Eligible entities in state-designated Fiscally Constrained Counties and in need of assistance with application development, including project identification, project cost determination, and scope of work preparation, may also apply for the Rebuild Florida Technical Assistance Grant Program.
The Department is the governor-designated state authority responsible for administering all HUD long-term recovery funds awarded to the state. Rebuild Florida uses federal funding for Florida’s long-term recovery efforts from the devastating impacts of natural disasters.
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