Rebuild Florida Hurricane Sally Voluntary Home Buyout Program

Reducing the risk of flooding in residential areas is a priority for the State of Florida. The Rebuild Florida Voluntary Home Buyout (VHB) Program was created to encourage risk reduction through the purchase of residential property in high flood-risk areas to help reduce the impact of future disasters. Local governments within federal and state designated Most Impacted and Distressed (MID) areas are eligible to apply for funding to acquire lots that are adjoined or adjacent to each other or single properties.

Eligible Areas


The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with the state of Florida, has identified five MID counties. Local governments within these five MID-designated counties are eligible to apply. Eligible counties include:
  • Escambia County (HUD)
  • Santa Rosa County (HUD)
  • Okaloosa County (State)
  • Walton County (State)
  • Bay County (State)

Hurricane Sally Most Impacted and Distressed Areas. HUD designated MID areas: Escambia County, Santa Rosa County. State designated MID areas: Okaloosa County, Walton County, Bay County

Voluntary Home Buyout Documents

Voluntary Home Buyout Timeline

  • January 24, 2023: Application Window Opens
  • April 14, 2023: Application Window Closes

Webinar

To provide potential applicants with more information about Rebuild Florida programs for Hurricane Sally, The Florida Department of Commerce (FloridaCommerce) hosted the Rebuild Florida Hurricane Sally Program Webinar on Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. EST. The webinar provided an overview on the programs, the application process, program guidelines, and information about the available programs. The webinar recording and slides are available below.



For additional webinar questions, please contact CDBG-DR@Commerce.FL.gov.

How to Apply

Those interested in applying can register for a unique VHB application link. You will be asked preliminary questions in order to register for applying to the program. Once you have successfully registered through the application portal, a unique application link will be sent to the email address provided.

There are two options for cities and counties to apply for assistance under the Rebuild Florida VHB Program. The first option is to leverage Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding as match for projects that are also eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The second option is to work directly with FloridaCommerce on projects located in low- to moderate-income (LMI) areas to buy out residential areas in support of permanent open space supporting green infrastructure or other floodplain management systems.

FloridaCommerce will review the submitted applications. Applications will be rated using a scoring method based on benefit to LMI persons and vulnerable groups like the disabled and elderly, as well as cost reasonableness and effectiveness, benefit to target areas, and other factors described in the VHB Program Guidelines.

Contact Us

For questions and technical assistance regarding the Hurricane Sally Voluntary Home Buyout Program, please contact HousingSubrecipient@Commerce.FL.gov.

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