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Unite Florida Portal now open for state sheltering and housing assistance

What was once buildings and boats is now a tangled mess at San Carlos Boulevard and Main Street on San Carlos Island on Thursday Sept. 29 one day after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Lee County. The community is at the base of the bridge to Fort Myers Beach.
Amy Beth Bennett
/
South Florida Sun Sentinel
What was once buildings and boats is now a tangled mess at San Carlos Boulevard and Main Street on San Carlos Island on Thursday Sept. 29 one day after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Lee County. The community is at the base of the bridge to Fort Myers Beach.

The Unite Florida Recovery Portal, launched Monday, is designed to connect Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian to important recovery resources, including housing support.

Florida’s state-led sheltering and housing program is available through IanRecovery.fl.gov and provides temporary sheltering options — such as travel trailers and recreational vehicles — and temporary or permanent repairs for households whose needs are not met through insurance or FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. Residents impacted by Hurricane Ian can also access the Unite Florida Portal to report unmet needs such as transportation, household items and social services.

“Southwest Floridians have a long road to recovery ahead of them, and my administration is working hard to ensure we’re making that process as smooth as possible,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.

“This innovative recovery portal will allow impacted residents to report their unmet needs, including housing, to aid in restoring the Southwest Florida community and get families back on their feet,” said FDEM Director Kevin Guthrie.

Some sheltering and housing assistance programs may require you to register for FEMA Individual Assistance. Hurricane Ian survivors can apply for FEMA assistance and continuously update their applications by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, calling (800) 621-3362, using the FEMA app or visiting one of more than 20 open Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs).

IanRecovery.fl.gov resources will also available in Spanish and Haitian-Creole. Information entered on the website is completely confidential. For those who need additional assistance completing an application, call 1-800-892-0948.