Hurricane Assistance & Resources

As we begin to evaluate and re-build our community in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, we want to provide you with important and helpful resources:

· RV AND STORAGE: Effective October 4, 2022, the City of Cape Coral has suspended RV and storage ordinances for 180 days. This will allow residents to live in their RV on their property with no penalty. RPCRA is working with Lee County and the City of Fort Myers for those jurisdictions to allow the same.

· INSURANCE: CLICK HERE for phone numbers, websites and email addresses for property insurance companies serving Florida.

· REPORT SAFE & FOUND: CLICK HERE to report safe and found persons.

· FLORIDA RELIEF EFFORTS: CLICK HERE for information on relief efforts for the State of Florida related to the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

· RELIEF EFFORTS: Below, please find links to many relief and recovery efforts for donations or to apply for assistance:

· Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund

· Unemployment benefits

· Small-business assistance loans

· Transactions and contract clauses

· Mortgage relief

· Florida Disaster Relief Fund: State of Florida’s official private fund established to assist Florida’s communities as they respond to and recover during times of emergency or disaster.

· Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM): Working together to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate against their impacts.

· American Red Cross: Red Cross volunteers and staff work to deliver vital services – from providing relief and support to those in crisis, to helping you be prepared to respond in emergencies.

· Florida Housing: (Free) state resource for renters and property managers in Florida. Dynamic search options can help you find available rental housing fit your needs and income.

· Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): To help people before, during and after disasters.

· Disaster Assistance Improvement Program (DAIP): The Disaster Assistance Improvement Program’s (DAIP) mission is to provide disaster survivors with information, support, services, and a means to access and apply for disaster assistance through joint data-sharing efforts between federal, tribal, state, local, and private sector partners.

· Operation Blue Roof: The purpose of Operation Blue Roof is to provide homeowners and permanently occupied rental properties in disaster areas with fiber-reinforced sheeting to cover their damaged roofs until arrangements can be made for permanent repairs.

· Disaster Unemployment Assistance: The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity is offering temporary wage replacement benefits to qualified individuals who are out of work through no fault of their own due to Hurricane Ian. All are eligible, including independent contractors.

· U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: The 203(h) program provides mortgages to victims of a presidentially declared major disaster for the purchase of a new home or expanded 203(k) reconstruction for single-family properties. The borrower’s EXISTING residence (owned OR rented) must be located in a presidentially declared major disaster area and destroyed or damaged to such an extent that reconstruction or replacement is necessary. If the borrower is purchasing a new property, it does not have to be located in the same area as the disaster.

· Price gouging during a State of Emergency is a criminal offense. Call the Florida Attorney General at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226) to report it.

· Be cautious of doing business with unlicensed, rogue contractors knocking on your door or place of business. Only work with licensed, reputable contractors; never assign your benefits. An Assignment of Benefits (AOB) is an agreement that transfers the insurance claims rights or benefits of the policy to a third party. An AOB gives the third-party authority to file a claim, make repair decisions, and collect insurance payments without the involvement of the homeowner.

Homeowners are advised to document any damage to their homes from Hurricane Ian. Documentation will be necessary to submit a federal assistance claim to FEMA. Residents can begin the application process at disasterassistance.gov or by downloading the FEMA app online. If you don’t have access to internet, you can also apply by phone: 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.

A Disaster Recovery Center is also available at the Shannon Staub Library, 4675 Career Lane, North Port. It is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Survivors can get help applying for federal assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process and get updates on applications.

Click here for more information on this alert.