Owners of Ian-damaged homes may apply for federal assistance

Property owners in Sarasota County whose homes were impacted by Hurricane Ian are invited to apply for the Resilient SRQ Housing Recovery Program. 

The county was awarded $201.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Program, of which $55 million is allocated to the Housing Recovery Program. Eligible homeowners may apply to receive funds for rehabilitation, reconstruction and reimbursement for repairs already made.

The program prioritizes low-to-moderate-income households, serving as a crucial funding source to address unmet needs resulting from the storm.

Homeowners can begin the application progress by completing an interest survey online at ResilientSRQ.net/housing-recovery or by calling 941-861-5309. The survey must be completed to determine eligibility and to receive an invitation to make a full application.

To qualify for the program, Sarasota County residents must meet the following criteria at the time of application submission:

• Own the damaged home. 
• Experienced damage to their home from Hurricane Ian. 
• Used the damaged home as their primary residence prior to Hurricane Ian. 
• Maintain a mortgage in good standing or be on a payment plan in good standing.
• Have a household income at or below 80% area median income.

Applications will be accepted as long as funding remains available.