Nearly a year after Hurricane Matthew ravaged parts of Central Florida, local officials say they’re still waiting on help from the federal government. 

  • FEMA help for residents post-Matthew is slow going
  • Volusia County leaders vent frustrations to Sen. Bill Nelson
  • City govts. had to dig deep to cover cleanup costs

Leaders of several cities from across Volusia County met with Florida Senator Bill Nelson on Wednesday to talk about frustration over FEMA’s response, nearly one year later.

“FEMA has been a little slow to the switch,” said Nelson, D-Orlando.

Port Orange’s assistant city manager says it’s been difficult just to submit claims.

“We’ve had trouble, even from the beginning when we submitted data, and it goes to the next group, they don’t have it and we have to submit it again,” said Port Orange’s Assistant City Manager Alan Rosen.

Nelson says he’s trying just about everything to push FEMA to move quicker.

“Friendly persuasion with prayer sessions and all that kind of stuff, explaining to the folks who are running FEMA what desperate straits the cities and the counties have,” said Nelson.

Leaders of city governments say they’ve had to dig deep into their limited budgets to cover cleanup costs.

Terry Foley spends every day trying to help people whose homes are still impacted by Hurricane Matthew. Foley works for an interfaith agency in Volusia County that’s now stepping in to try to help homeowners.

“Everybody’s American dream is to have a home, and they’re homes are falling down because of the storm – and they can’t get help,” said Foley, the program coordinator for Volusia Interfaiths/Agencies Networking In Disaster, or VIND.

Foley says she’s reaching out to the public for donations. She says many homes will suffer even worse damage from rain and storms to come if damaged roofs aren’t fixed.

“We’re having to literally knock on people’s doors, those that are in the community, and ask for funding,” said Foley.

News 13 reached out to FEMA about delays in disaster funding. A FEMA spokesperson says the agency is working to get information for a response to our questions.