Affected by Hurricane Ian? There's a Homeowner Program for Those who Qualify

Orange County Recovers is aimed at Property Owners

Although Hurricane Ian steamrolled through Central Florida more than two years ago, many residents are still recovering from the damage the storm dealt. To help these families, Orange County is administering the Orange County Recovers Program (OCRP), which assists property owners by providing funding to repair, reconstruct or replace single-family homes that suffered storm damage.

The program, federally funded by the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR), is designed to ensure that the unmet housing repair needs of the low- to moderate income homeowners and vulnerable populations are addressed to the greatest extent possible. Its primary objective is to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing to eligible applicants.

"We're very proud to launch this program," said Mitchell Glasser, manager, Orange County Housing & Community Development. "We know the road to recovery from that particular storm has been difficult for many residents, and we want to make the recovery process extremely accessible and get the work completed as quickly as possible."

In order to qualify for the program, the following must apply:

• Owned the damaged property at the time Hurricane Ian made landfall
• Currently own the damaged property
• Property was your primary residence at the time of Hurricane Ian
• The damaged property is in Orange County and its municipalities
• The damaged property must not be subject to active bankruptcy proceedings or in foreclosure

Additionally, applicants need to have the following documents:

• Proof you owned the damaged property at the time of Hurricane Ian
• Proof you occupied the home as a primary residence at the time of Hurricane Ian
• Proof the property has unrepaired damage from Hurricane Ian
• Proof the storm-damaged property is an eligible structure type
• Proof of current property taxes
• Proof of recent mortgage statement, if applicable
• Proof of income for all adult household members

"It seems like a long time ago, but Hurricane Ian left us with significant flooding and more than $300 million in damage, and some of our residents are still recovering from that," said Mayor Jerry L. Demings. "This program ensures residents have safe and livable homes to reside in."

To find out more about the program, go to Frequently Asked Questions. You can also call the Intake Center to make an appointment.

To begin the application process, go to Orange County Recovers and either create or log into your account. The application portal will remain open until the budget is fully committed or exhausted.