The Biden administration denied Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ request for funds to repair homes damaged by Hurricane Ian. The governor’s administration sought $25 million in emergency hurricane relief for impacted residents. It verified volunteers with materials for temporary and permanent repairs on their damaged homes, but FEMA refused to provide them.
Unfortunately, it was announced last week that FEMA would not be funding our state-led housing initiatives, citing their “limited authority.” However, Florida won’t take no for an answer, and DeSantis stated that they wanted to cut through bureaucracy and provide relief to impacted Floridians regardless of whether FEMA was involved.
Governor DeSantis said on Monday that the Florida Disaster Fund had gathered $59.2 million for Hurricane Ian relief after claiming the Biden administration rejected financing help. The Florida Disaster Fund – led by First Lady Casey DeSantis – was created by the state to provide emergency financial aid to towns.
According to a news statement from DeSantis’ office, the state of Florida contributed $25 million, while multiple contributors contributed $35.2 million. According to a press release published by the Daily Caller, governmental funding would be utilized to purchase building supplies. At the same time, donations will enable recognized nonprofit groups to execute crucial interim repairs on properties destroyed by Hurricane Ian.
According to the statement, the disaster funds would also cover unmet requirements such as transportation, food assistance, housing help, clothes, and household products.
DeSantis stated that “Floridians are resilient,” and the state will assist them throughout the recovery process.
After Hurricane Ian and before the President visited Florida, the White House said a natural disaster is not the time to play politics.
On October 5, 2022, President Joe Biden stood alongside the Republican governor of Florida, promising that the federal government would be there for the state as it recovers from Hurricane Ian and prepares for future storms. “We’re not leaving. We’re not leaving until this gets done. I promise you that,” the President said.
Fast forward to this week, and FEMA, a government-run agency, has denied the request for funds. The denial was due to its “limited authority” and its inability to confirm that authorizing this policy expansion would achieve the intended results for disaster survivors, according to a letter from the Florida Division of Emergency Management to Kevin Guthrie.
According to a press statement issued on Monday, the government has awarded $3.3 billion in federal aid to the state of Florida and its residents for Hurricane Ian recovery efforts.
The White House and FEMA did not immediately reply to the Daily Caller’s requests for comment.