Information to Help You in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene
Latest disaster updates
Hurricane Helene: Disaster Relief Fund Now Open (9/26/2024)
Florida Prepares for Storm Impacts (9/25/2024)
Prepare Now: Tropical System Moving into Gulf (9/24/2024)
Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund: There When You Need It
Insurance protections
Note: Many insurance companies will not write new policies in the days leading up to a storm.
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation: Searchable Database of Florida insurance providers (including property)
Insurance Information Institute: Hurricane insurance FAQ: What your insurance does—and does not—cover
Housing help
Emergency shelters: Shelters are open for temporary, immediate-need housing.
Florida Housing Finance Corp.: Works with state and federal officials to provide information on disaster relief and recovery resources and information.
Florida Housing: This free state resource for renters and property managers in Florida features dynamic search options can help you find available rental housing that fits your needs and income.
HurricaneHomes.org: Local Realtor associations are building a safe platform for the community to access rentals for temporary housing in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Bonita Springs, and Marco Island. The website, HurricaneHomes.org, will be available in the coming days and provides listings for housing whose properties have been vetted as reliable, safe, and clean. The listings are given by Realtors in the area.
Operation Blue Roof: Operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Operation Blue Roof provides 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.
Additional resources
AlertFlorida: Sign up for emergency alerts in your county.
FloridaDisaster.org: Provides up-to-date statewide information about the storm, including shelters, evacuation information, executive orders and price gouging
State Assistance Information Line: A toll-free hotline activated at the time of an emergency to provide an additional resource for those in Florida to receive accurate and up-to-date information regarding an emergency or disaster situation impacting the State of Florida.There are English, Spanish & Creole speakers available to answer questions. Call 1-800-342-3557.
FloridaDisaster.biz: Find the most recent information from the state on businesses offering services and assistance, including accommodation and lodging partners, major retailers offering assistance, state partnerships, including updates from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing),
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: The Section 203(h) program allows the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to insure mortgages made by qualified lenders to victims of a major disaster who have lost their homes and are in the process of rebuilding or buying another home. It helps victims in presidentially designated disaster areas recover by making it easier for them to get mortgages and become homeowners or re-establish themselves as homeowners.
Florida Disaster Contractors Network: Florida’s Disaster Contractors Network (DCN) has been activated to provide support to homeowners in need of post-hurricane home repairs. This is a free service founded in part by the state agency that regulates Florida’s construction industry, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Its mission is simple – connect homeowners needing emergency repairs with licensed contractors and construction suppliers.
State Emergency Response Team: Information includes road and bridge updates, shelter openings and statuses, power outages and boil-water notices.
Private businesses offering assistance: See what companies are working to ensure Floridians have the supplies they need to begin hurricane recovery efforts and support the state’s economic resiliency post-storm.
Legal questions
Click here for an overview of key bad weather provisions in the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar “AS IS” Residential Contract for Sale and Purchase, along with one reference to the casualty provision contained in the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.
Landlord-tenant concerns: Click here for answers to common questions about rental properties from Florida Realtors legal team.