Florida Governor Ron DeSantis publicly announced Monday that FEMA had refused to approve the $25 million requested to assist impacted residents and volunteers of Hurricane Ian. According to his allegations, the Biden administration refused to fund state-led housing initiatives
Denied Request
To assist the victims of Hurricane Ian, Gov. DeSantis requested emergency relief for Floridians to initiate temporary and permanent repairs on their damaged homes, but FEMA denied his requests. However, the governor expressed his dissatisfaction, and it appears that the Biden administration is unwilling to support his efforts to assist affected victims.
He stated that while FEMA denied his request due to limited authority, he will continue to assist victims in their recovery. They will continue to provide relief to impacted Floridians regardless of whether FEMA is involved, a source posted.
According to FEMA, it only has limited authority to approve funding for this type of work. FEMA spokesperson Jeremy Edwards said that the administration believes the House-led initiative is neither prompt nor focused on specific needs. The agency’s authority is limited to emergency measures necessary to protect life and public security.
President Biden’s Disaster Declaration
After Hurricane Ian damaged many properties in Florida, President Biden directed that federal aid be used to support state, tribal, and local relief efforts in the disaster zones beginning Sept. 23 and continuing. In addition, the President’s action makes Federal funds available to affected individuals in certain counties throughout the state.
Grants for temporary accommodation and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to assist individuals and business owners recover from the disaster’s effects are all possible.
Federal funding is also available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and specific private charitable organizations on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures throughout the state.
