FEMA

The latest numbers have more than 1,100 businesses in Pinellas County that were impacted by both Helene and Milton, with $136 million in damages.

Fort Myers Beach loses flood insurance discounts after a problematic rebuild from Hurricane Ian.

Homeowners and renters may be able to get federal assistance for displacement, home repairs, property losses and other uninsured or underinsured expenses.

Castor also emphasized the need to modernize wastewater systems and the power grid in the wake of recent storms.

The funding request includes $40 billion for the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, $24 billion for the Department of Agriculture, $12 billion for HUD's block grant disaster recovery program, and $8 billion for the Department of Transportation, among other allocations.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we discussed FEMA’s response to hurricanes Helene and Milton, how Americans are consuming political news, how the Florida Democratic party can reengage apathetic voters, what’s next for former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida legislature’s new leadership, and a collection of environmental stories from across the state.

During a Senate hearing, the head of FEMA says money available to help communities hit by disasters has shrunk after back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton

Fla. Attorney General Ashley Moody is suing Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, and a former FEMA supervisor for violating Floridians' civil rights after hurricanes.

The Biden administration has approved more than $2.3 billion for those affected by Hurricanes Milton and Helene. Studies show the system for distributing the funds deepens historical divides.

She said a large number of Hispanic and Latino people applied for assistance in Plant City, including many migrant workers. She offers tips to anyone who is seeking federal aid.

An onslaught of conspiracy theories followed Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Although many of the claims originate online, targeting FEMA has real-world consequences, including deterring storm victims from seeking federal aid and endangering the agency’s employees on the ground.

Disaster relief often becomes political because so many people are affected – and because there is a lot of media coverage surrounding hurricanes, floods and other major weather events.