FLOODING ASSISTANCE
Release Date:
April 28, 2023
WASHINGTON — FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Florida to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from April 12-14, 2023.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.
Federal funding is also available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Broward County.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
Brett H. Howard has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made if warranted by the results of damage assessments.
A FEMA Mobile Recovery Unit is set to deploy starting Monday, Memorial Day, at the Big Easy Casino (East Parking Lot 831 N Federal Hwy), from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM. After that, it will operate regular hours from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, 7 Days a week until June 3rd.
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.
Disaster Assistance Registration Flyers: ENGLISH SPANISH CREOLE
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE INFORMATION:
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) has activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey to measure the physical and economic impacts of the recent flood event impacting local businesses. Survey responses will assist the state in accelerating recovery efforts by providing data on the needs of affected businesses.
Visit www.FloridaDisaster.biz, select “Broward County Flooding” from the dropdown menu, and complete the online survey.
If you need additional assistance, please call (850) 815-4925 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or email ESF18@EM.MyFlorida.com.
Broward County has established Broward.org/Flood to update residents on changing conditions. Residents can report flooding and upload photos at Flooding.Broward.org, and view flooding reports at Crowdsource.Broward.org. Additional resources are available here – English. Spanish.
The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program has also been activated for eligible Broward County businesses. Click here for details.
What Kind of Assistance Can FEMA Provide to Broward County Flood Survivors?
Floridians who were impacted by the April 12 – 14 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding in Broward County may be eligible for FEMA assistance for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other eligible expenses.
Lodging Expense Reimbursement
Under FEMA’s Individuals and Households program, lodging expenses may be eligible for reimbursement if an applicant:
- Verifies occupancy in a primary residence within Broward County.
- Verifies that the primary residence is uninhabitable or inaccessible due to the storm.
Rental Assistance for Temporary Housing
FEMA may be able to provide rent, including a security deposit, if the storm made your primary residence uninhabitable. The assistance may include essential utilities such as electricity and water.
Major Repairs and Out-of-Pocket Expenses
FEMA’s Individuals and Household Program assistance is intended to meet the basic needs of your household, not to restore your home and all your personal property items to a pre-storm condition.
- “Housing Assistance” covers repairs to structural parts of your home. This includes windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings, cabinets, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, utilities (electrical, plumbing and gas systems), and entrance ways. FEMA may also reimburse for repair or replacement of your furnace, well and septic system.
- “Other Needs Assistance” may provide reimbursement to homeowners and renters for such uninsured or underinsured, storm-related expenses as:
- Medical and dental expenses; funeral and burial costs; repair, cleaning, or replacement of clothing; household furniture and appliances; specialized tools used in your occupation; educational materials and moving, storage and other necessary expenses related to the storm and flooding.
- Your personally owned, disaster-damaged cars and trucks may also be eligible for repair or replacement by FEMA.
- FEMA may be able to reimburse applicants who rented or purchased generators for their primary residence during a power disruption caused by the severe storms and flooding.
FACT SHEETS: ENGLISH SPANISH CREOLE
Apply to FEMA
To be eligible for FEMA’s Individual and Households Program, you must apply to FEMA. There are three ways to apply:
- DisasterAssistance.gov
- Download the FEMA App for mobile devices
- Call the FEMA Helpline toll-free 800-621-3362. The helpline is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, go to, FEMA Accessible: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance.
For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, visit floridadisaster.org/info and fema.gov/disaster/4709. Follow FEMA on Twitter at FEMA Region 4 (@femaregion4) / Twitter and at facebook.com/fema.