Operation Blue Roof, which provides free tarps for damaged homes, opened for applications, and HUD announced a 90-day foreclosure moratorium on FHA-insured mortgages.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – New aid initiatives launched to support Florida residents as they continue their recovery from Hurricanes Milton and Helene, with a focus on services that will help homeowners, renters and those who have lost sources of income due to the storms.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday approved $500,000 to Florida non-profits to provide free muck-and-gut services, debris removal, tarping, temporary home fixes and other volunteer services for hurricane victims. Each organization received $50,000 each:
- Team Rubicon: A veteran-led humanitarian organization that helps in disaster cleanup.
- Tool Bank USA: Provides tools, equipment and expertise to aid in recovery and cleanup efforts.
- Florida Baptist Convention Disaster Relief: Connects Florida Baptist churches and associations to in-need people and communities.
- Faith Responders: Aids in disaster preparedness, response and restoration of impacted communities.
- Samaritan’s Purse: Provides physical and spiritual aid to people in need.
- Rebuilding Tampa Bay: Provides free critical home repair to neighbors in need throughout Tampa Bay and Southwest, North and Central Florida.
- SBP: Helps communities affected by major disasters rebuild, recover and return home.
- All Hands and Hearts: Addresses immediate and long-term community needs.
- CWS: Provides emergency response and recovery services for individuals and communities.
- Plain Compassion Disaster Response: Provides humanitarian aid to individuals in immediate distress.
Other services expanded to help Milton and Helene victims:
- Operation Blue Roof opens applications:
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is accepting applications from homeowners and permanently occupied rental properties in disaster areas for fiber-reinforced sheeting to cover their damaged roofs until arrangements can be made for permanent repairs. Applications will be accepted until Nov. 5 from the following counties:
Brevard, Citrus, Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Manatee, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia.
For more information, call (888) 766-3258
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance for Hurricane Milton:
DUA benefits are available to individuals who became unemployed between Oct. 6, 2024 until April 12, 2025, as long as your unemployment was a direct result of Hurricane Milton.
Those who live or work in the following DUA-eligible counties must fill out an application by Dec. 10, 2024: Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando. Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance for Hurricane Helene
DUA benefits are available to individuals who became unemployed between Sept. 29, 2024 until March 29, 2025, as long as your unemployment was a direct result of Hurricane Helene.
If you live or work in the following DUA-eligible counties you must file your application by December 2, 2024: Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Franklin, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla
If you live or work in the following DUA-eligible county you must file your application by Dec. 3, 2024: Gulf
If you live or work in the following DUA-eligible county you must file your application by Dec. 9, 2024: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Collier, Duval, Putnam and Union
- Milton FHA foreclosure moratorium
HUD announced a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of FHA-insured mortgages as well as foreclosures of mortgages to Native American borrowers. There is also a 90-day extension granted automatically for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages. To learn more about disaster relief options for FHA homeowners, click here.
- Freddie Mac mortgage relief options
Freddie Mac announced it may help by suspending foreclosures through forbearance on mortgage payments for up to 12 months and waiving assessments of penalties or late fees against borrowers with disaster-damaged homes. Click here for more information.
Insurance claims
As of Oct. 16, the total estimated insured losses for Hurricane Milton are $2,126,286,361. There has been a total of 172,658 claims filed. Of that, 141,062 are for residential properties, 3,973 for commercial properties and 909 for flooding (most flood claims are covered under through FEMA’s Flood Insurance Program, not private). Other details:
Number of claims closed with payment: 4,737
Number of claims closed without payment: 6,579
Percent of claims closed: 6.6%
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