Commission adopts CDBG-DR action plan for Hurricane Milton; $33.35M allocated for housing, mitigation and services

Orange County commissioners unanimously approved the county’s Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) Action Plan for Hurricane Milton and authorized the county administrator to execute the resulting HUD grant agreement.

Housing and Community Development Division manager Mitchell Glasser told commissioners the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated funds for damages from Hurricane Milton. HUD awarded Orange County approximately $33,350,700 (reported in staff materials as a split of roughly $29 million for unmet needs and $4.3 million for mitigation). Glasser said HUD set a compressed timeline for action‑plan submittal: the county must submit an action plan for Milton funds by June 20, 2025, to receive the grant agreement and access funds.

Glasser described the CDBG‑DR program and the county’s proposed allocations based on an unmet‑needs analysis and citizen engagement. The draft action plan directs funds to these categories (rounded figures presented by staff): homeowner rehabilitation and new construction — $20,000,000; mitigation activities — $4,300,000 (HUD‑mandated minimum 15% for mitigation); infrastructure and public facilities — $3,100,000; public services/economic recovery (job training, counseling) — $4,000,000; and administration/planning for the remainder.

Glasser said at least 15% of funds must go to mitigation and that HUD requires activities to benefit low‑ and moderate‑income persons or areas. He described outreach: four community meetings and focused engagement with nonprofit partners; staff had worked to identify unmet needs using FEMA, SBA, NFIP, Census and local data. He noted that program implementation will include Section 3 requirements and Davis‑Bacon labor rules for federally funded construction.

Several community speakers urged countywide use of the funds to maximize local hiring, workforce training and labor standards. Sam Delgado of Central Florida Jobs with Justice and Sarah Albadri, representing Congressman Maxwell Frost, urged local hiring, training, fair wages and engagement with labor unions as part of project design.

Commissioner Moore moved approval; Commissioner Scott seconded. The board voted unanimously to adopt the action plan, approve required certifications and delegate limited authority to the county administrator to execute the grant agreement once HUD approves the plan. Staff said the county expects to begin implementation in fall 2025 after HUD approval and execution of the grant agreement.

Why it matters: The action plan sets how Orange County intends to spend roughly $33.35 million in CDBG‑DR funds for Hurricane Milton recovery: significant funds are assigned to home repairs and affordable housing development, infrastructure, mitigation and workforce/economic recovery programs. The plan includes compliance with federal rules (Section 3, Davis‑Bacon) and a schedule to begin award and implementation once HUD completes review.