WASHINGTON (970 WFLA) -- Florida is getting more than $600 million in federal grant money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for recovery after Hurricane Irma.
Governor Rick Scott says the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved his plan to spend the money on disaster recovery.
"On top of helping repair and replace... damaged homes and... affordable housing units, it's also going to allow us to purchase land for affordable housing." The plan approved by HUD gives Florida $20 million for land acquisition and $100 million for building new rental units.
Scott says a strong economy had already pinched the affordable housing supply before Irma. The situation is critical in much of the lower Keys, from Cudjoe to Big Pine Key, where Irma destroyed much of the housing stock. Affordable housing is also a concern in Collier County, Scott's home county, which suffered the next-worst blow after the Keys during Irma.
HUD Secretary Ben Carson says the money is part of the Trump administration's continued commitment to helping Florida residents recover from Irma.