FORT MYERS, Fla. — More than two years have passed since Hurricane Ian devastated parts of Southwest Florida. Now, a grassroots organization is calling on local leaders to reallocate millions in unspent federal funds to help storm survivors still struggling.
The Lee County Disaster Survivors Association held a community meeting Wednesday night to give people a voice and gather data to advocate for better access to aid.
Watch here to see what is still needed to recover from Hurricane Ian:
“We didn’t even know about the CDBG money until just last year,” said Tara Boyd, an organizer with the association. “A lot of us got no help. We’re asking that we be included in the reallocation.”
Boyd is referring to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. According to Lee County’s website, $143 million in federal recovery funds remain unspent. Residents and advocates are now raising concerns about how, and when, those funds will be distributed.
Karen Brickner, a Hurricane Ian survivor, attended the meeting to find answers among dozens of others. She lost her home and car in the storm and has been living in a 27-foot travel trailer since.
“You’ll find out where your taxpayer money is going...and hopefully how to get it,” she said.
For many still dealing with insurance delays or housing instability, the Survivors Association is urging the public to fill out a community needs survey. The results will be presented to county commissioners to help guide future spending decisions.
“After you go through what you go through, you’re not in the right mind,” Boyd said. “You don’t have internet. You don’t have electricity. You’ve lost everything."
