Volusia County Council advances $328.9 million Hurricane Ian recovery plan.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

In a significant move to address the devastating impacts of Hurricane Ian, the Volusia County Council has approved the Transform386 Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Action Plan during its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.

Following the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the U.S. Congress allocated $3 billion to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to aid affected regions, in which Volusia County received a substantial amount of $328.9 million. To better understand the needs within the area, an extensive unmet needs assessment underscored a critical demand for housing solutions. As a result, Volusia County created the Transform386 CDBG-DR Action Plan to prioritize housing and direct over 60% (equivalent to $200 million) of the available funds to various housing initiatives.

Housing Initiatives Breakdown:

1. Single-Family Housing: A budget of $145 million has been allocated for repairing, reconstructing, or replacing homes damaged by the hurricane.
2. Rental Housing Repair: $5 million will assist landlords in repairing storm-affected properties, stipulating they will rent to low-income tenants for the next 20 years.
3. Multi-family Housing: With a $50 million budget, this initiative aims to counter the housing shortages intensified by Hurricane Ian, focusing on constructing new affordable housing units.

In addition to these housing initiatives, a substantial investment of $93 million from the CDBG-DR funds will bolster local infrastructure and enhance the community's resilience to potential future disasters, complementing the $48 million provided to the County and municipalities by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. 

Following the Council's approval, HUD must review the action plan for final approval. Once HUD's endorsement is secured, a grant agreement will be provided to the County for final approval, marking the appropriation of funds. In preparation for the influx of HUD funding, the County is gearing up to open applications for impacted homeowners, offering assistance for necessary home repairs caused by the storm. 

Homeowners who have already completed repairs will also have the opportunity to apply for reimbursement for the associated costs, with detailed information regarding this initiative to be released soon.

For those interested in reviewing the entire Action Plan, it is available at www.transform386.org. For additional information or inquiries, contact Volusia County's Department of Recovery and Resiliency at 386-943-7029 or transform386@volusia.org.