White House declares flood-ravaged Fort Lauderdale eligible for federal assistance
The Biden administration has declared Fort Lauderdale residents and businesses eligible for federal disaster assistance following the historic flooding earlier this month.
“The president’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Broward County. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House said in an announcement released Thursday night.
The announcement came two days after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent the White House a letter asking the administration to issue a major disaster declaration. In the April 25 letter, DeSantis said “preliminary damage assessments rendered an estimated total of over $100 million, far exceeding the per capita threshold for the entire State of Florida.”
“We’re very pleased that our efforts in Washington have brought this about,” Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said at a Friday news briefing.
Between April 12 and 14, Fort Lauderdale was drenched with 26 inches of continuous rainfall, resulting in flooding at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and in the nearby neighborhood of Edgewood.
Most homes in the subdivision were completely flooded and many residents there lost a lifetime of possessions. And, since the area has weathered countless hurricanes with little to no flood damage, many residents never saw the need to buy flood insurance.
Public infrastructure also took a major hit. DeSantis said in the letter that Fort Lauderdale’s City Hall “is a complete loss.”
Background
Florida Director of Emergency Management Kevin Guthrie said at a news briefing earlier this month that although the damage was severe in Edgewood and the surrounding areas, the cost of the flooding was unlikely to reach the $38 million threshold to qualify for FEMA funds.
But Amelia Johnson, Emergency Management spokeswoman, said in an email to the Miami Herald that after recent door-to-door state and federal assessments of damaged homes and businesses, “it was determined that the threshold was exceeded and the governor moved forward with requesting the Major Disaster Declaration.”
To get help
Residents and business owners affected by the flooding can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App.
This story was originally published April 28, 2023 at 10:03 AM.
