FEMA, Gov. DeSantis reach deal to speed up debris removal in areas hard-hit by Ian

Cars and debris from washed away homes line a canal in Fort Myers Beach. Image via AP.

Contractors hired by the state and federal government to remove debris left by Hurricane Ian in hard-hit areas can now be reimbursed for removing wreckage from private and commercial property, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has inked a deal with the state to quicken the cleanup. With a pile of rubble as a backdrop in Fort Myers Beach, DeSantis said he was focused on removing bureaucratic barriers to restoring Southwest Florida, especially the barrier islands, back to pre-storm status.

“You guys see the debris that is here,” DeSantis said. “If we do better on this than the typical norm, these areas can come back to life quicker than (other areas hit by hurricanes) did.”

After a hurricane, debris on public roads and critical infrastructure is removed first, and removing detritus from private and commercial property can take months.

The agreement announced Wednesday will allow FEMA to accept waivers to reimburse companies to remove certain types of debris from homes and businesses, such as damaged concrete slabs on private property, which isn’t usually eligible for a FEMA reimbursement.

DeSantis said FEMA will use satellite imagery and other technology to speed up the removal process, as opposed to the door-to-door process in previous storms. He added that the state is also setting up its own debris removal program, allowing residents to request cleanup for displaced and abandoned property, such as vehicles, boats, trailers and all-terrain vehicles at iandebriscleanup.com.

FEMA also approved temporary housing assistance for eligible residents, with up to 18 months of assistance for manufactured housing units. DeSantis said the state will also offer its own program for Ian victims who don’t qualify for FEMA assistance, and it will offer travel trailers and recreational vehicles.

The ultimate goal, DeSantis said, is to help people stay on their property while repairs are being done to their homes.

“People want to stay but they’ve got to have a viable pathway to be able to do so,” DeSantis said.

These programs come on top of the transitional housing assistance offered by FEMA for stays in hotels and motels. But DeSantis and Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie noted all of those programs are temporary, and the push for long-term solutions has started.

“We need to start getting you into permanent housing on Day One — that’s today,” Guthrie said.

Senate President-designate Kathleen Passidomo, a Naples Republican whose home flooded during Hurricane Ian, said she’s been working with DeSantis’ Office on legislation to increase the availability of affordable housing, something that’s even in more dire need after Ian’s destruction.

“I guarantee you we will build Southwest Florida better, stronger,” Passidomo said.