Volusia County celebrates first home rebuilt under Transform386 disaster‑recovery program

Volusia County organizers held a ribbon‑cutting in Port Orange to mark the first home completed under Transform386, a county initiative funded through Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) funding aimed at helping families rebuild after Hurricane Ian.

The completed home belongs to Leo Laliberte, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and his wife, Deborah Laliberte. The couple moved to Port Orange in 2020; their home was destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022 and they were approved for a complete home replacement through the Transform386 program. Attendees and program materials highlighted interior features such as Whirlpool appliances and a larger floor plan compared with the family’s previous house. At the ribbon‑cutting, someone present said, “This is a bigger house. This is our house.”

Transform386 is described in promotional remarks as a Volusia County initiative that uses CDBG‑DR funding to rebuild homes and provide housing assistance to families impacted by the storm. Promotional materials and speakers directed those seeking help to the program website, transform386.org, for application and eligibility information. A separate ribbon‑cutting remark noted the ceremony marked “not just the completion of a house, but the restoration of a dream.”

Program organizers said the Laliberte home was approved for full replacement; the transcript did not specify the total program budget, the household’s award amount, the timeline for other completed homes, or the exact mix of CDBG‑DR and any local matching funds. The transcript also did not identify the names or titles of county officials who attended or who oversee Transform386. The presentation emphasized community resilience and invited residents affected by Hurricane Ian to seek assistance through the program website.

For more information or to apply for assistance, promotional remarks listed transform386.org as the program website.