Press Release
palm trees in storm
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Florida Realtors® Thanks NAR Realtors® Relief Foundation: $100K for Severe Weather Victims in Panhandle

ORLANDO, Fla. – The National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) Realtors Relief Foundation announced a $100,000 grant to Florida Realtors® to help Panhandle residents with housing issues resulting from disastrous storm and rain conditions in early January.

“The Jan. 9, 2024, severe storms and rainfall damaged so many homes and businesses in the Panhandle, leaving many people struggling with recovery,” says 2024 Florida Realtors® President Gia Arvin, broker-owner with Matchmaker Realty in Gainesville. “The crucial first step is often dealing with housing needs. Thanks to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Realtors Relief Foundation and their generous donation, people can find the housing assistance they need to rebuild their homes and their lives.”

As a result, Florida Realtors® now has available two charitable relief programs that can help: Its Disaster Relief Fund that focuses on housing challenges within the Realtor family, and these grants through NAR’s Realtors Relief Foundation funding that offers money to any Panhandle resident impacted by the severe weather events on Jan. 9, 2024, and facing housing challenges as a result.

Qualifications for the Realtors Relief Foundation assistance include:

  • Individual grants may be approved up to a limit of $2,500 per household.
  • Recipient must be a full-time Florida resident and U.S. citizen, or legally admitted for residence in the U.S.
  • Applications close on Aug. 15, 2024.

Assistance is available to qualified applicants as one of the following options:

  • Monthly mortgage expense for the primary residence that was damaged during the severe weather events of Jan. 9, 2024.
  • Rental cost due to displacement from the primary residence resulting from the severe weather events of Jan. 9, 2024. Relief assistance is limited to a maximum of $2,500 per household. 

All grants are contingent upon the availability of funds. As a result, aid will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For more info, including how to apply and the applications for assistance, go to the Disaster Relief webpage on Florida Realtors’ website. For the RRF assistance, scroll down the webpage and find the “Click Here to Apply For RRF Assistance” in blue.

Florida Realtors® serves as the voice for real estate in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research, and legislative representation to 238,000 members in 51 boards/associations. Florida Realtors® Newsroom website is available at floridarealtors.org/newsroom