Politics

$9 Million Raised by Casey DeSantis for Hurricane Ian Relief Is Still Unspent

STIFFED

The Florida Disaster Fund saw $63 million flood into its coffers after Hurricane Ian last September.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey.
JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty

Nearly a year after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, about $9 million in aid raised by Casey DeSantis for her relief campaign still hasn’t been spent, the Sun Sentinel reported. The Florida Disaster Fund saw $63 million flood into its coffers amid the storm’s devastation, with $54 million filtering to charity and response agencies, according to Volunteer Florida. Much of the money from the fund has been going toward building affordable housing for seniors and repairs to homes, as well as paying for damages not covered by insurance or FEMA, officials said. Alan Harris, Seminole County’s emergency management director, explained that while “most people have moved on from the storm,” more funds could go to families not yet able to finish repairs. “If you are one of the families who has black mold or has a damaged roof, it’s something you think about every day,” he said. The governor’s office referred questions from the Sun Sentinel about the fund to Volunteer Florida, who oversees it. No plans have been announced yet regarding the leftover $9 million.

Read it at Sun Sentinel