Financial Assistance Available for Repairing Privately Owned Roads and Bridges Damaged by Hurricane

VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA - Volusia County residents whose privately owned roads or bridges were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Milton may be eligible for financial assistance for repair or replacement through FEMA or the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). To qualify, a resident must own and use the home as their primary residence.

A FEMA inspection will determine if repairs are necessary to allow vehicle access to the primary residence. Applicants must also meet the following conditions:

• The applicant is responsible for maintaining the privately owned access route to their primary residence or shares responsibility with other homeowners.
• The privately owned access route is the sole access to the applicant's primary residence, and repair or replacement is necessary for the safety of the occupants, allowing access for emergency vehicles or equipment.

If multiple households share a damaged privately owned access route, the assistance will be divided among the applicants. This arrangement requires additional coordination between FEMA and the applicants. Residents can apply for FEMA assistance online at www.disasterassistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.

Additionally, the SBA offers disaster loans for residents' uncompensated losses due to Hurricane Milton. Homeowners may secure disaster loans up to $500,000 for real estate repairs or replacements with an interest rate as low as 2.813%; loan terms may extend up to 30 years.

For more information on applying for a disaster loan, visit www.sba.gov/disaster, call the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, or email [email protected].