Fort Lauderdale is offering $12.4 million in flood recovery grants, but only 241 people have applied

Millions of dollars in grant funding remain available for Fort Lauderdale homeowners recovering from historic April 2023 flood damage, yet only a small fraction of eligible residents have submitted applications.

When more than 2 feet of rain inundated Fort Lauderdale in April 2023, floodwaters surged through Anthony O'Gorman's home in the Edgewood neighborhood, causing about $80,000 in damage. Although $12.4 million in disaster recovery grant money is currently available, only 241 people have applied since May.

"I think people are afraid to even come forward for the money," O'Gorman said.

O'Gorman noted that many neighbors worry that allowing a home inspector inside could result in higher property tax assessments or fines for unpermitted repairs.

"So imagine if they came in and re-evaluated my entire home and said, 'Hey, wait a second. It's not a $300,000 house. It's a $500,000 house. Now you're going to pay taxes on $500,000,'" O'Gorman said. "They come in and inspect it on me now. Now filing fees or anything else they're going to hit me with."

City officials are seeking to alleviate those fears. Rachel Williams, Fort Lauderdale's housing and community development manager, stressed that inspectors are exclusively examining flood-related damage.

"If you did unpermitted work, we can help you," Williams said. She noted that the grant covers after-the-fact permits and the cost of bringing unpermitted work up to code, resulting in no out-of-pocket expenses for homeowners.

However, some residents say the application bureaucracy itself poses a major barrier. Edgewood resident Corrina Montes, who paid $58,000 out of pocket for home repairs, called the process exhausting.

"It's just cumbersome," Montes said. "The case manager keeps coming back with us having to redo paperwork over and over again and contact FEMA and SBA for every page, and they're hard to contact."

Despite the administrative frustration, Montes said applying remains worth the effort to recoup her financial losses.

Residents seeking additional details or application materials can visit the Fort Lauderdale Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery page.