Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elevate Florida topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County staff brief commissioners on new state pilot "Elevate Florida" program to speed flood mitigation for homeowners
Summary
Citrus County housing staff briefed the commission on Elevate Florida, a new one‑time, state‑administered pilot run by the Florida Division of Emergency Management and funded by FEMA that expands eligibility for flood mitigation assistance and shortens delivery timelines; county staff said they would help residents apply and expected dozens of
Citrus County Housing Services Director Michelle Alford briefed the Board of County Commissioners on a new pilot flood‑mitigation program called Elevate Florida, a FEMA‑funded, Florida‑administered initiative that county staff said will allow more residents to apply for home elevations and other mitigation work with faster delivery timelines.
Alford said the state set aside $400 million specifically for Florida through the Elevate Florida pilot, a large increase compared with the traditional national Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program. She explained key program differences: applicants apply directly to the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) rather than through local administration; eligibility widens beyond the narrow repetitive‑loss categories used in FMA so that homes inside the special flood hazard area qualify; and the expected timeline from application to completion is shorter (staff cited an 18‑month target rather than a possible 36 months under existing FMA rules).
Alford said more applicants would be eligible for full funding or higher cost shares than under traditional FMA: for elevations the program can provide up to 100% of construction costs based on flood history and financial need; demolition‑reconstruction grants are capped at $220,000 for labor and materials plus additional allowances for engineering and permitting. She also said National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage is not required at application time — applicants must carry NFIP coverage once the structure is elevated and re‑occupied — and some households with limited documentation (for example trusts or LLCs) may have different eligibility paths.
County housing staff said they have already assisted many homeowners through earlier FMA work and were preparing local outreach to help Citrus County families apply; as of the briefing staff reported approximately 48 applications already submitted for the county and expected more as word spreads. Alford said the county would continue to provide case management support to residents using Elevate Florida and help with related programs like SBA disaster loans and direct housing assistance where appropriate.
Why it matters: The pilot could accelerate funding and construction of elevating flood‑prone homes or rebuilding them with flood‑resilient designs, lowering future damages and protections for households in the floodplain. Because eligibility criteria are broader and funding is larger, county staff said they expect a surge of applications that local staff will help to manage.
What’s next: County staff will continue outreach, assist applicants with the FDEM portal and report back on application volumes and program outcomes.
