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County housing director: 395 Citrus County applications in Elevate Florida program; elevations to begin after contracts awarded
Summary
Citrus County staff reported 395 Elevate Florida applications from county residents, described eligibility breakdowns and said the state expects to award contracts in July with construction starting in September for elevation projects.
Citrus County’s housing services director updated the Board of County Commissioners on the state’s Elevate Florida program, reporting local application totals, likely timelines and program requirements.
Lede: Michelle Alford, the county’s housing services director, told commissioners the state has logged about 12,000 applications statewide and 395 applications from Citrus County residents; officials expect contract awards around July 1, with contractor work and elevation starts projected for September.
Why it matters: Elevate Florida is a federally funded mitigation effort that provides funding to elevate or demolish and reconstruct homes in flood-prone areas. For Citrus County homeowners, successful applications mean structural elevation, reconstruction to meet elevation code, or buyouts where appropriate — with long-term implications for flood insurance and community resilience.
Details: Of the 395 county applicants, 120 live in Crystal River and 269 sought elevation-only projects. Alford said 107 applications sought demolition and reconstruction to meet elevation codes, 16 were for wind mitigation work and 3 were proposed acquisitions and demolitions. About 71% of applicants reported the residence as a primary home; 54% already had flood insurance. Thirty-two percent of applicants are low- or moderate-income households.
Program timing and next steps: Alford said the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) stopped taking applications on April 11 and has posted a request for qualifications for contractors. FDEM plans to award contracts July 1, Alford said; once contractors are under contract, county officials expect property-level meetings and a kickoff with elevations starting around September. Alford cautioned that elevations will start with structures that are structurally feasible; demolition and replacement projects likely will follow.
Local support: Citrus County has set aside HMGP funds (Alford cited $16,200,000) to complement state efforts and to support local participants. The county also provides a mitigation specialist — Marina Edwards — as a resident point of contact to help applicants navigate letters, flood-insurance questions and status notices from FDEM.
Questions and concerns: Commissioners asked about debris and C&D landfill capacity if demolition projects occur in September, which is within the hurricane season. Alford said debris would be handled at the county C&D landfill and reassured commissioners that FDEM is aiming to start elevations in a timeframe that should allow projects to be staged to limit hurricane-season exposure.
Ending: Alford urged residents with program questions to contact county housing staff and noted that detailed eligibility and project schedules will be available once FDEM awards contracts. Commissioners thanked staff and noted the program’s potential to reduce flood risk for vulnerable households.
