Deadline March 29 for Hurricane Repair Help

Homeowners needing help to repair damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017 have until Friday, March 29 to apply for assistance through the "Rebuild Florida" program.

The program will help low-income Floridians in Polk and 13 other counties pay for still uncompleted home repairs.

The state Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced the "Rebuild Florida" program in September, with a goal of helping homeowners pay for still uncompleted repairs caused by damage from the storm. Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida on September 10, 2017, causing destruction and damage to thousands of homes in its path. The state of Florida is committed to helping homeowners affected by the storm by rebuilding or replacing damaged homes.

DEO is partnering with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to use hundreds of millions of dollars to fix or replace damaged homes and trailers, while completing many partially repaired housing units.

Priority use of the funds will go to low-income families with elderly residents or minor children, as well as individuals with disabilities. DEO Executive Director Ken Lawson says many people are still struggling, even after insurance payouts and help from government programs. He says anyone in an affected community should apply for the assistance.

"There are still blue tarps on roofs and people suffering. We want to make sure that those who have been harmed by Irma know that we haven't forgotten at DEO. We are here to assist them with restoring their home," Lawson said.

The program is available for all of Polk, Orange, Volusia, Brevard and Duval counties, along with portions of Bradford, Clay and Flagler counties in northeast Florida. In South Florida, the counties of Monroe, Broward, Collier, Lee and Miami-Dade are eligible along with portions of DeSoto.

Other phases of Rebuild Florida include business assistance and partnerships with local governments. Those programs will launch soon.

Additional information is available by calling 844-833-1010 or online at http://floridajobs.org/rebuildflorida/housingrepair