Updated October 2026. What Hurricane Irma aid looked like for Florida homeowners, which programs open after a declared hurricane today, and what changes when you later sell a storm-hit home.
Hurricane Irma was declared a federal disaster in Florida on September 10, 2017 (FEMA DR-4337-FL). FEMA approved 774,691 household applications and more than $1.02 billion in aid. As of October 2026, the same programs open after any declared hurricane: FEMA housing help, SBA home loans up to $500,000, USDA repair loans up to $40,000, and FHA 203(h) mortgages.
Jump to: 🏠 Irma by the numbers · ⏱️ First days · 💲 Loans and grants · 🪜 Insurance claims · 📍 Selling later · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Irma’s FEMA aid to Florida households topped $1.02 billion, including $712 million in housing help.
- SBA home disaster loans now go up to $500,000 for a primary home and $100,000 for belongings.
- USDA’s Section 504 program lends up to $40,000 at 1% and grants up to $10,000 to some owners 62 and older.
- When you sell a Florida home, the flood disclosure asks if you ever got FEMA help for flood damage.
Irma hit Florida hard in September 2017. Weeks later, many South Florida families were still sorting out roofs, claims and paperwork. This page started as our list of aid resources for them. We’ve updated it so it also works for the next storm, and for owners who later sell a home that took damage.
How much disaster aid did Hurricane Irma bring to Florida?
FEMA’s page for the Irma declaration lists an incident period from September 4 to October 18, 2017. Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe were among the many counties designated for help. The table below shows FEMA’s own totals, last updated December 20, 2022.
| FEMA program (DR-4337-FL) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Housing Assistance approved | $712,480,164 |
| Other Needs Assistance approved | $308,484,582 |
| Total Individuals and Households Program | $1,020,964,746 |
| Household applications approved | 774,691 |
| Public Assistance grants to communities | $2,294,465,276 |
| Hazard Mitigation Grant Program | $245,939,134 |
The federal hub for all of it is Disaster Assistance, run with FEMA. You can see which programs fit you, apply online and track your case. FEMA helps after floods, tornadoes, quakes and hurricanes. It works with state teams, like Florida’s.
What should you do in the first days after a hurricane?
First, a safe place to stay. If the house has no clean water, no power or open walls, don’t stay. FEMA’s housing help can pay for a hotel or motel if the storm pushed you out. It can also pay you back for a room you booked yourself. After Irma, FEMA also ran a Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program that placed families in participating hotels.
Next, health. Disaster Assistance covers some basic medical topics, but an injury belongs with your doctor or an urgent care clinic. Before a storm, agree on a family meeting spot in case you get split up. If that fails, Disaster Assistance can help you reconnect with family members and pets.
Check the damage, room by room
- Roof: the most common hurricane damage. Strong winds can lift shingles or tiles, and an older or patched roof fails first.
- Interior: a damaged roof lets rain in. Doors, walls, floors and belongings get wet, and mold can follow within days.
- Exterior: look for fallen trees, broken windows and loose roof tiles. Stay far away from downed power lines.
- Utilities: power and internet can be out for days or weeks. Have an electrician check anything that sat in water.
Take photos and video before you clean up. Keep every receipt for tarps, fans, plywood and hotel nights. Our guide to ways to protect your home and how to choose covers shutters and other upgrades for next season.
Which loans and grants help pay for home repairs?
FEMA grants rarely pay for a full rebuild. When insurance falls short, three federal programs can help. Here’s how they compare in October 2026.
| Program | Who it’s for | How much | Key terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBA home and personal property loan | Owners and renters in a declared area | Up to $500,000 for the main home; $100,000 for belongings | Up to 30 years; rate capped at 4% if you can’t get credit elsewhere; first payment deferred 12 months |
| USDA Section 504 repair loan or grant | Low and very-low income owners in eligible rural areas | Loan up to $40,000; grant up to $10,000; $50,000 combined | 20-year loan at a fixed 1%; grants for owners 62+ |
| FHA Section 203(h) mortgage | Owners whose home was destroyed or badly damaged | Up to the FHA limit for your county | No down payment; apply within one year of the declaration |
SBA home disaster loans
The SBA Home and Property Disaster Loan covers losses insurance doesn’t. You can’t use it to add rooms or upgrade, unless the local building code requires it. You may add up to 20% of the verified damage to pay for mitigation, like storm shutters or a safe room. Insurance payouts are deducted from the loan amount.
USDA repair loans and grants
The Single-Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants program is also called Section 504 Home Repair. You must own and live in the home. You must also be unable to get fair credit elsewhere. Grants must fix health and safety hazards. You repay a grant if you sell within 3 years.
HUD’s disaster mortgages
The 203(h) program and 203(k) rehabilitation insurance come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With 203(h), you can get 100% financing to rebuild or buy a new main home. The seller may pay closing costs, up to a 6% limit on seller concessions.
If you’re buying a replacement home, Beycome’s buyer program has no upfront fee and credits part of the buyer-agent commission back to you at closing. It’s open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents. The credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers.
How do you file a hurricane insurance claim?
Start with your policy. A standard homeowner’s or renter’s policy usually covers wind but not flood. Flood coverage comes from a separate policy, often through the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA warns there’s typically a 30-day wait before a new NFIP policy takes effect, so buy it before storm season, not when a storm is on the map.
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On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →- Write down the date and time of the loss.
- Photograph every room, the roof, the yard and any shed or detached garage.
- List damaged items with their age and value, and gather receipts.
- Read your deductibles, and check whether your policy has a separate hurricane deductible.
- File the claim, then keep every call, email and letter in date order.
After a big storm, insurers get thousands of claims at once. A neat file gets you paid faster. If you rent the home out, read our guide on the rights of landlords during a natural disaster.
What changes when you sell a home that had storm damage?
Florida asks sellers about storm history in writing. Under section 689.302, Florida Statutes, you must give the buyer a flood disclosure at or before signing the contract. It asks three things: whether you know of flooding that damaged the home while you owned it, whether you filed a flood claim, and whether you got help for flood damage, including from FEMA.
So keep your Irma file. Repair invoices, permits, the adjuster’s report and any grant or loan papers all help. They show what was fixed and when. Buyers and inspectors will ask, and a clear answer keeps the deal moving. Our guide to seller disclosures explains the rest of the list.
Repairs can also change your taxes. Rebuilding work may count as an improvement that raises your cost basis when you sell. If you plan to sell as-is instead, read selling a home as-is with confidence. And if you’re thinking about the rental side, How to Attract High-Quality Tenants to Your Rental covers getting a repaired unit ready.
Listing and closing a repaired Florida home
A Beycome flat fee MLS listing puts your home on the Florida MLS for $99, with $0 due to Beycome at closing. You add as many photos as the MLS allows, so show the new roof and the repairs. For the closing, Beycome Title handles Florida closings for $99 prepaid at checkout and Texas closings with a $299 settlement fee per side. Starting November 1, 2026, it also closes in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.
Want to see local conditions before you price? Our page on Real Estate Market Trends is a place to start. If a former tenant left a debt behind after the storm, Why Skip Tracing Is a Convenient Debt Recovery Solution for Landlords explains one option.
Disaster Assistance lists all these programs and more. To see which ones fit you, visit their website.
Frequently asked questions
How much FEMA aid did Hurricane Irma bring to Florida?
FEMA approved more than $1.02 billion for Florida households under DR-4337-FL, across 774,691 approved applications, per its page updated December 20, 2022.
Can I still apply for Hurricane Irma disaster assistance?
Irma’s application windows closed years ago. The same programs open again after each new declared disaster, so check Disaster Assistance for current declarations.
How much can I borrow from the SBA to repair my home?
Up to $500,000 for your primary home and $100,000 for belongings, with terms up to 30 years. Insurance payouts are deducted.
What is the USDA Section 504 home repair program?
A rural program with loans up to $40,000 at 1% for 20 years, and grants up to $10,000 for very-low income owners age 62 or older.
Does homeowner’s insurance cover hurricane flooding?
Usually not. Flood needs a separate policy, often from the NFIP, and new NFIP policies typically take 30 days to start.
Do I have to tell a buyer I got FEMA help?
In Florida, yes, for flood damage. The flood disclosure under section 689.302 asks whether you received flood help, including from FEMA.
Figures as of the dates shown on each agency page, read October 27, 2026. Program limits change; check the agency before you apply. Beycome prices as of October 2026; “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing, while title, taxes and any buyer-agent compensation you agree to still apply. Buyer program: no upfront fee; Beycome keeps 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission at closing, subject to lender approval; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers. Beycome Title: Florida and Texas today; Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana starting November 1, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or insurance advice.
Sources
- FEMA, Florida Hurricane Irma (DR-4337-FL), read October 27, 2026.
- FEMA, Assistance for Housing and Other Needs, read October 27, 2026.
- FEMA, Flood Insurance (30-day waiting period), read October 27, 2026.
- SBA, disaster assistance loans, read October 27, 2026.
- USDA Rural Development, Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants, read October 27, 2026.
- HUD, Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims, Section 203(h), read October 27, 2026.
- Section 689.302, Florida Statutes, flood disclosure, read October 27, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
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