Few Fort Lauderdale Homeowners Are Applying for Flood Recovery Grants

Three and a half years after the April 2023 flood, Fort Lauderdale has $12.4 million in federal grant money available to help homeowners finish their recovery. But only 241 people have applied since the program opened in May, CBS Miami reported.

The storm dropped more than 25 inches of rain on the city in about 12 hours on April 12, 2023. More than 1,100 homes were damaged, according to the city’s recovery plan. Edgewood took the worst of it, with 480 reports of major damage. River Oaks, Melrose Park, Durrs and Progresso Village were also hit hard.

The money comes from an $88 million disaster recovery grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city’s approved plan puts about $40.4 million toward housing. That includes a separate $9.5 million program to reimburse homeowners who already paid for repairs out of pocket. Assistance can cover home rehabilitation, reconstruction, elevating a home, and reimbursement for eligible flood-related costs. Applicants need documents on their household, income and flood damage, along with records of any help they already received from FEMA, the SBA or insurance.

So why are so few people applying? Residents told CBS Miami they’re afraid. Edgewood homeowner Anthony O’Gorman, whose house took about $80,000 in damage, said neighbors worry that letting an inspector inside could raise their property tax assessment or lead to fines for repairs done without permits. Another Edgewood resident, Corrina Montes, paid $58,000 out of pocket. She called the process exhausting, saying her case manager kept sending paperwork back and asking her to track down FEMA and SBA records. She still thinks it’s worth applying.

City officials say the fears are misplaced. Rachel Williams, Fort Lauderdale’s housing and community development manager, said inspectors look only at flood damage. “If you did unpermitted work, we can help you,” she told CBS Miami. Williams said the grant can pay for after-the-fact permits and for bringing unpermitted work up to code, with no out-of-pocket cost to the homeowner.

Homeowners can apply online through the city’s disaster recovery page at ftlcity.info/CDBG-DR or call (954) 495-4533 for in-person help. The next mobile help session is Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the South Side Cultural Arts Center on South Andrews Avenue. Bring whatever you have on your household, income and flood damage.

My take

The property tax fear is the one I’d push back on hardest. Florida law says that when a homesteaded house is repaired or rebuilt after a disaster and stays within 110% of its original square footage, the work doesn’t raise its assessed value. Your Save Our Homes protection stays in place. And the city’s housing program isn’t the property appraiser’s office.

The permit fear deserves an honest answer. Unpermitted work doesn’t go away on its own. It tends to come up when you sell, through permit searches and inspections, and it costs you at the negotiating table. Getting it permitted and brought up to code with grant money is about the best deal you’ll ever get to clean that up.

If you already paid for repairs yourself, there’s reimbursement money set aside for exactly that, so pull your receipts together now. Before you sign anything, ask the city what conditions come with the money, like how long you need to stay in the home.

If you know someone in Edgewood, River Oaks or Melrose Park who still hasn’t applied, send them this.

Sources

CBS Miami, “Fort Lauderdale is offering $12.4 million in flood recovery grants, but only 241 people have applied”: https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/fort-lauderdale-flood-recovery-grants-few-applicants-homeowners/
City of Fort Lauderdale, Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR): https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Community-Services/Housing-Community-Development-and-Homelessness/Community-Development-Block-Grant-Disaster-Recovery
City of Fort Lauderdale, CDBG-DR Action Plan: https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/community-services/documents/housing-and-community-development/cdbg-dr-notices-and-publications/plans-and-amendments/ftl-cdbg-dr-action-plan-approved.pdf
City of Fort Lauderdale, “Flood Recovery Grant Applications Open”: https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Government/Departments/Strategic-Communications/City-News/Flood-Recovery-Grant-Applications-Open
City of Fort Lauderdale, “Flood Recovery Grant Application Assistance Event”: https://www.fortlauderdale.gov/Residents/City-News/Flood-Recovery-Grant-Application-Assistance-Event