FEMA assistance to Hurricane Ian survivors surpasses $1 billion

WASHINGTON -- FEMA has provided more than $1 billion for 380,000 Florida survivors of Hurricane Ian as part of the $5.5 billion in federal support the Biden-Harris administration has provided to help families and communities in Florida jumpstart their recovery.

The FEMA Individual Assistance funds, which go directly to applicants, are for rent, basic home repair, and other disaster-related expenses. In addition, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved $1.68 billion in low-interest disaster loans, and the National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.29 billion in claims. FEMA’s Public Assistance program has obligated $552 million to the state to reimburse debris removal and emergency response costs.

In continuing support to Floridians, FEMA is undertaking an extensive housing effort that includes funds for rent, home repairs, hotel stays, apartment leases, travel trailers, and manufactured housing units.

More than 70,000 Florida households have been approved for $647 million in financial assistance for rent or basic home repairs, and more than 4,500 households have stayed in hotels temporarily under FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. Additionally, FEMA is placing eligible applicants in 313 apartment homes under its Direct Lease program and is also working on leasing apartments, repairing them, and placing hurricane survivors in them under its Multi-Family Lease and Repair program.

In addition to financial assistance for housing, 366 families have moved into travel trailers, manufactured housing units, and apartments in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Lee, Sarasota, and Volusia counties. More temporary housing is being prepared for occupancy.

For the latest information on Florida's recovery from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, visit floridadisaster.org/info and fema.gov.