Governor Ron DeSantis announced state awards totaling $23.5 million to strengthen infrastructure in three communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast, saying the investments will protect homes, support growth and boost long-term resilience.

DeSantis said the funds come from a combination of the Job Growth Grant Fund and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster recovery program. "Today, we are gonna award, 23 and a half million dollars to 3 of our communities, Citrus County, Levy County, and the city of Newberry, to strengthen their critical infrastructure," DeSantis said.

The largest award is $16.4 million to Citrus County to replace an outdated sanitary sewer system the governor said was damaged during the 2023–24 storms and is limiting the county’s ability to grow. "We're gonna protect homes, businesses from future storm impacts, but also...serving for the overall economic base as well," DeSantis said.

Newberry will receive $5.6 million through the Job Growth Grant Fund to support roadway and water infrastructure at the Newberry F300 Ag Food Tech Innovation Park, a project state and local officials said is intended to prepare the site for private investment and jobs. Alex Kelly, Secretary of Commerce, said the projects were chosen for "infrastructure readiness" and to support workforce development that makes job creation sustainable.

Levy County was awarded $1.5 million for critical water infrastructure in Chiefland and nearby rural communities including Horseshoe Beach and Cedar Key. DeSantis noted the awards reflect a focus on smaller, rural communities where state dollars can stretch further.

Local business leaders and private investors welcomed the announcements. Charles Garza, CEO of Harvest Singularity, said his company will build its first two controlled-environment hydroponic greenhouses at Newberry’s F300 AgTech Park. Garza gave company projections for the broader Florida program: each Newberry facility will be about 325,000 square feet and represent a roughly $66 million investment; the company plans about $660 million in total investment across 10 facilities in the state.

Richard Wiggins, co-owner of Bayside Craft Kitchen, described the human side of disaster recovery for small businesses: "This is about people. The buildings can be replaced. Anything material can be replaced, but people can't," he said, urging attention to employees who face uncertainty about wages and work during long recoveries.

State officials said the grant program opened on July 1, 2025. DeSantis said the Florida Commerce Department received roughly $1.9 billion in requests against $400 million available for this round of funding. Alex Kelly said the three projects were selected after state and local review and reflected partnership among county leaders, state agencies and educational institutions.

The governor conducted a ceremonial check presentation and photo opportunity following the announcements. Officials said the awards aim to improve resilience against future storms, expand infrastructure readiness for job-creating projects and help communities recover from recent hurricane impacts.

What happens next: recipients will work with the Florida Department of Commerce and local partners to implement construction and related workforce programs; officials did not specify exact project start dates or procurement timelines.