NORTH PORT, Fla. — A Sarasota County program is helping homeowners rebuild after devastating storms. The Sarasota Resilient SRQ program helps funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid towards home repair and infrastructure projects.
WATCH: Black Mold and sunken floors. North Port homeowner shares path to recovery after hurricanes damaged her property:
Resilient SRQ manages $411.5 million in Community Development Block Grant funds. The money is from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to Emily Blaine, communications coordinator for Resilient SRQ.
$201.5 million is for Hurricane Ian relief. The county also received $210 million for hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton. The money helps Sarasota County residents repair and rebuild their homes, Blaine said.
Resilient SRQ reimburses homeowners for repairs they make on their own. The money also goes towards infrastructure projects and multi-family affordable housing, Blaine said.
"There's been quite a big need to help Sarasota County recover from these storms," Blaine said.
The program is working with 300 homeowners impacted by Hurricane Ian. Around 700 homeowners impacted by Debby, Helene, and Milton are in the application process, Blaine said..
The program is starting to ramp up. So far, it's awarded $11 million for reconstruction, repair and reimbursements to 101 homeowners. In North Port, some people have already moved into their new homes.
In July, JoAnn Donahue got the keys to her new home after a years-long saga battling storm damage. Donahue said she gradually tried to repair her home in the La Casa Mobile Home Park after Hurricane Ian.
"And then Milton came along and decided to destroy all of what I had rebuilt - and more," Donahue said. "It took off the whole front of my house and then the water got in through the sides of the house."
The home started to cave in, Donahue said, revealing Black Mold. Insurance wouldn't cover the damage, Donahue said, leaving her discouraged. Donahue grappled with how to move forward.
That's when she received an email about Resilient SRQ. Donahue applied for aide through the program after Ian. Once Milton further damaged her home, the process got fast-tracked, Donahue said.
Donahue said she attended Resilient SRQ meetings and made minimal repairs to her home, on the advice of Sarasota County staff.
"Within six weeks, a contractor called me and said hi JoAnn, 'I'm your contractor.' " Donahue said. "I go what?"
The contractor told Donahue she would need an entirely new home.
"And how much is that gonna cost?" Donahue said.
That's when the contractor told her it would be free of cost. Donahue said her family was skeptical of the offer. To them, it sounded like a typical Florida land scam. But it wasn't.
There are a couple of requirements to secure funding, according to the Resilient SRQ site:
- Own the damaged home.
- Have experienced damage from the disaster.
- Use the home as their primary residence.
- Maintain a mortgage in good standing or be on a
payment plan in good standing.
- Have a household income at or below 120% of Sarasota
County’s area median income.
"At a very basic level, the program has to serve low to moderate income individuals," Blaine said. "And then they also have to own the home, they have to live there as their primary residence."
Applications for the program are closed, Blaine said. But the county occasionally reopens applications if funding opens up.
Contractors started work on Donahue's home in June. She moved in the next month. Workers raised the home and made it more structurally sounds, Donahue said.
"I fell very safe, and very lucky, and very happy," Donahue said.
