Port Orange staff told council that Volusia County has opened a Transform Phase 6 homeowner recovery portal for funds tied to hurricanes Ian and Milton. The county program sets aside about $40 million for residential recovery programs, staff said.

Tim Timberman, community development, said the funds may be used for home rehabilitation, reconstruction, reimbursement for improvements already made, and voluntary buyouts for eligible properties. The county program can also be used to help homeowners meet FEMA grant match requirements in some cases.

"This is about $40,000,000 which is set aside for resident programs there," Timberman said. He explained the funds are countywide and that lower-income residents, seniors and households with young children will receive priority in the county’s evaluation.

City staff said they will post links on the Port Orange website directing residents to the Volusia County portal and will help residents reach county staff for application and eligibility questions. A council member asked whether the program differed from the earlier Hurricane Ian funds; staff replied it is similarly structured but a separate pool of money that can be applied to damage from either storm.

Staff emphasized that infrastructure-focused portions of the larger allocation will be announced later and that, at present, the portal open to homeowners is the residential recovery subprogram totaling about $40 million.