Lee County commissioners allocate $5.9M for weather damaged homes

Lee County commissioners have approved allocating state funding to assist households damaged by natural disasters.

Commissioners met and voted on Tuesday to provide $5.9 million in the State Housing Initiatives Partnership funding to nonprofit housing development organizations to assist households affected by all recent weather events.

The funds would be used to provide affected households assistance with:

• Down payments
• Owner-occupied emergency home repairs and rehabilitation
• Mortgage expenses
• Insurance deductibles
• Rental expenses

Lee County provided a breakdown of funding to be granted to the following agencies to assist households affected by the recent weather events.

Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties has been awarded $1,691,357 for downpayment assistance for a minimum of 14 low-income households affected by recent disasters, of which at least three have special needs.

Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay has been awarded $1 million for owner-occupied rehabilitation for at least 20 low-income households affected by recent disasters, with at least two households with special needs.

The Lee County Housing Development Corp. has been awarded three grants, beginning with $900,000 for downpayment assistance for a minimum of seven very low- to low-income households affected by the recent disasters, with at least two with special needs.

The owner-occupied rehabilitation received $1,192,714 for a minimum of 10 very low- to low-income households affected by recent disasters, including at least five households with special needs.

The mortgage and rental assistance received $835,585 for a minimum of 33 very low- to low-income households affected by recent disasters, prioritizing households with special needs.

For more on the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), click here.