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State Awards $2.1 Million In Housing Aid For Tornado Victims
March 12, 2016
Housing assistance money is on the way to help some impacted by the February 15 EF-3 tornado in Century and the February 23 EF-3 tornado in Pensacola.
The Florida Housing Finance Corporation notified Escambia County today of approval of $2,058,028 in State Housing Initiatives Partnership, or SHIP, disaster funds for the two tornadoes that struck Escambia County in February. Funds will be appropriated to assist with owner occupied housing rehabilitation, replacement, and disaster mitigation as outlined in the county’s Local Housing Assistance Plan.
While appreciated, Century Town Planner Debbie Nickles aid the $2.1 million split between Escambia County, Pensacola and Century won’t go very far, restoring housing for just a small number of those that lost homes during the tornadoes.
Century alone suffered $3.9 million in damage, plus another $18 million in Pensacola, she said. There were over 100 homes in Century that were destroyed or suffered major damage. About 75 percent of the structures were uninsured.
“There are going to be so many applicants,” she said. “How do we decide who gets their house rebuilt and who doesn’t,” she said. Ultimately, it will be up to the Century Town Council to decide the formula for funds distribution in Century.
Century won’t be able to to take applicants for housing assistance until April — the funds will first be dispersed to Escambia County and an interlocal agreement between the county and the town must be amended to cover the new funding.
Once available, funding may only be utilized for households directly impacted by one of the two storms and income restrictions will apply, see chart below. Household members seeking repair assistance will be required to provide proof of homestead exemption, income, assets, mortgage (if present), and insurance (if present) to certify eligibility.
For more information on disaster-related owner occupant housing repair or home replacement assistance:
- Unincorporated areas of Escambia County – County Neighborhood Enterprise Division at (850) 595-0022.
- City of Pensacola – City Housing Office at (850) 858-0350
- Town of Century – SHIP applications are expected to be accepted in April, for more information call (850) 256-3208
Pictured top: A destroyed home in Century. Pictured below: Housing assistance applications have already been accepted by Escambia County for residents in the unincorporated areas. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
4 Responses to “State Awards $2.1 Million In Housing Aid For Tornado Victims”
@JRP JR
Man im sorry, but if you bring home more than $35,000 a year, you can afford insurance. Besides, some of them houses look like they could’ve been insured for less than $100 per month.
So, if I let the insurance lapse on my home, 60 mph wind from a severe thunderstorm tear my roof off, will someone help me replace it ? No. Why not ? Because 99 other homes weren’t damaged. Thats just stupid. No money for repair or rebuild, only clean up. Sorry it happened but its just bad luck. Buck up and move forward. Thats just how it is when your not insured. You wouldn’t expect your auto insurance to fix your car if a tree falls on it and you only have PIP. Besides, it may be 50 years before Century sees another tornado. Just bad luck, quit complaining.
I would like to know why funding is combined with Pensacola, when the Governor plainly stated on TV that the storms happened on separate dates therefore would be looked at separately. And that amounts of damage could not be combined.
WHY IS THERE AN INCOME LIMIT?…IF YOU LOST YOUR HOME YOU LOST YOUR HOME REGARDLESS TO HOW MUCH YOU MAKE…SO TIRED OF THE WORKING CLASS GETTING THE SHORT END OF EVERYTHING…AND YES JUST FOR THE RECORD I DID NOT QUALIFY!!!!!