City of Key West Updates

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Monroe County has been included in Federal Disaster Declaration Expansion for Debris Funding and Individual Assistance (IA) Funding.

• On the evening of October 5, 2022, the Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Florida (FEMA-4673-DR-FL) was amended to include Monroe County for Category A (debris) funding.  The President of the United States authorized Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures assistance for roads and bridges, public buildings, parks, and recreational facilities, including direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program at 100 percent of the total eligible cost for 30 days.
• Monroe County was added to the FEMA Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance (IA)
• Individuals in Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, and Volusia Counties can apply with FEMA the following ways:

  Apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. 

Individuals can apply in multiple ways:

• Apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Download the FEMA mobile app.
• Call the registration phone number at 800-621-3362 from 7 AM to 11 PM Eastern Time (TTY: 800-462-7585). 

City officials actively working with Monroe County, State, and Federal elected officials successfully expanded the declarations to include Key West for Individual Assistance (IA) to help those with disaster-related needs.  The Monroe County Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD) is working to meet the community's unmet needs.  Human needs assessments are ongoing.  Additionally, individual assistance is available for Florida Keys residents through US Small Business Administration (SBA) loans.

• The City of Key West is collecting Hurricane Ian-related debris now.  Additionally, individual assistance is available for Florida Keys residents through SBA loans (see additional information provided below).
• The City of Key West is eligible for IA FEMA assistance at this time.
• SBA Fact Sheet and Contact Information
• COAD Information:
  • Email: Keys United Way 
  • Website: click here for the United Way Website
• Monroe County is gathering information regarding unmet needs; call 800-955-5504 to discuss.
• The Truman Waterfront Splash Pad is closed until further notice due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian.  The City crews are working to get this up and running as soon as possible.
• The MLK, Jr. Community Pool is closed until further notice due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian.
• The corner of Atlantic Blvd and Bertha Street is closed due to damage caused by  Hurricane Ian.
• Monroe County Higgs Beach Memorial Park and Reynolds' Street Pier in Key West (along with the volleyball court and playground) are closed due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian.

Derelict Boats

• If your vessel became displaced due to Hurricane Ian (for example, it became derelict due to the storm), you may contact the FWC for help.  If the vessel was affected to the degree that you cannot recover or bring it into compliance, a waiver may be completed, enabling FWC to remove the vessel from the state waters.  After 45 days, if the owners have not acted to remove or bring the vessel into compliance, they may be subject to criminal charges under F.S. 823.11 for the derelict vessel.
• To contact Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) to have a displaced vessel removed by the State:
  • Dispatch: 888-404-3922
  • Email: FWC Captain Dipre
  • Office: 305-289-2320, Mon – Fri 8-5
  • Text: tip@myfwc.com
  • Ask FWC: Click here for FWC Website

The City's Hotline - 305-809-1101

• The City's housing needs assessment hotline is open to take callers at 305-809-1101.  Monroe County is gathering information regarding unmet needs; call 800-955-5504 to discuss.  You can also reach out to Keys Help through their website.
• To Donate to people in need, click the United Way of Collier and the Keys link.

The Debris Plan:

• Vegetative Debris – The City of Key West currently requests residents utilize yard waste cans to collect small limbs and palm fronds for collection by Waste Management (WM) under regular collection when possible.  Larger trees and limbs that cannot be handled through regular pickup should be placed on the City right-of-way in a pile for collection by the City's hauler or City staff.  Vegetative debris should only contain vegetation and no other materials and should only result from the storm; no routine lawn maintenance is allowed.  Take care not to place piles in the roadway, do not block fire hydrants, water meters, or driveways, and do not place them under overhead power lines.
• City crews began vegetative debris collection this past weekend and worked Saturday and Sunday collecting debris too large to be picked up during regular yard waste/vegetation collection.  The collection will continue through the week until one pass of all city roads stands completed.  
• Bulky Items - The city's debris hauler will pick up residents with "bulky" items (appliances, couches, dressers, etc.) damaged due to storm flooding.   
• Please place debris in the City right-of-way, NOT on the sidewalk or blocking the roadway.  Please be sure to keep debris clear of fire hydrants and power poles.
• Please be sure to separate vegetative debris from appliances and building debris.  Household garbage must be put in trash collection bins for regular pickup.

U.S. Small Business Administration offers Disaster Assistance to Businesses and Residents of Florida

SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Businesses and Residents of Florida Affected by Hurricane Ian

Information provided by The Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce

 Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available to businesses and residents in Florida following the announcement of a Presidential disaster declaration due to Hurricane Ian beginning September 23. 

 "SBA's mission-driven team stands ready to help Florida small businesses and residents impacted by this disaster in every way possible under President Biden's disaster declaration for certain affected areas, "said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman.  "We're committed to providing federal disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities recover and rebuild."

The disaster declaration covers Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties in Florida, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.   The filing deadline to return physical property damage applications is November 28, 2022.  

Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Broward, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Pasco, and Polk in Florida.   The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 29, 2023. 

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.  

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.  Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered physical property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate.  Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.

Building back smarter and stronger can be an effective recovery tool for future disasters.  As verified by the SBA, applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20 percent of their physical damages for mitigation purposes.  Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, elevation, retaining walls, and landscaping to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

Applicants that have an existing SBA disaster loan may apply under this declaration.  Businesses and residents with previous SBA disaster loans and current applicants have up to two years from their prior loan approval to request a loan increase for mitigation projects. 

 "The opportunity to include measures to help prevent future damage from occurring is a significant benefit of SBA's disaster loan program," said SBA Associate Administrator Francisco Sanchez, Jr.  "I encourage everyone to consult their contractors and emergency management mitigation specialists for ideas and apply for an SBA disaster loan increase for funding."

Interest rates are as low as 3.04 for businesses, 1.875 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 2.188 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms of up to 30 years.  Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA's secure website, Disaster Loan Assistance, and should apply under SBA declaration # 17644.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app.  If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362.  Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362. 

Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services) or sending an email to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster. 

Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. 

The filing deadline to return physical property damage applications is November 28, 2022.  The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 29, 2023.

To Report a broken water line, downed power line, or cable line, please call the following numbers:

• For Cable / Phone - call AT&T at 800-331-0500,
• For Cable / Phone - call Comcast @ 800-934-6489,
• For Electric Power - call Keys Energy Services @ 305-295-1010,
• For Water - call Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority @ 305-296-2454.

Evacuation Orders:

• There are no evacuation orders for residents or visitors

Key West International Airport:

• Open and fully operational

Government Offices

• Key West is open and fully operational
• Monroe County is open

Shelters

• A general population shelter was open at the Key West High School cafeteria on Flagler Avenue.  One hundred eighteen (118) sheltered from the storm there.

Hospitals and Trauma Star

• Lower Keys Medical Center: normal operations
• Trauma Star - normal operations
• Emergency services (police and fire) are fully operational.

Monroe County School District

• Updates or changes are on the school board's website and social media.
• School District Website

College of the Florida Keys

• Normal Operations