“Most Impacted and Distressed” and “Unmet Needs” Thresholds
Introduction
The State of Florida, Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), authorized as an applicant by the
National Disaster Resilience Competition Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), conducted an analysis to
determine the “Most Impacted and Distressed” and “Unmet Needs” Thresholds defined in Appendix G
to the NOFA. DEO worked in close partnership with the Florida Division of Emergency Management
(DEM) within the Governor’s Office, to determine which communities in Florida meet the criteria
through this analysis.
Below we separately addressed each threshold requirement in Appendix G.
Most Impacted and Distressed Threshold
The target areas identified as Most Impacted and Distressed is broken down into six (6) Regional Areas
as a result of Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Isaac, and/or the 2013 Severe Storms and Flooding that
occurred in 2012 and 2013. These areas are Sub-County Areas (census designated place, tribal area, or
census tract) within a county declared as a Qualified Disaster.
Regional Area 1
Escambia County; Santa Rosa County; Okaloosa County; Walton County; Bay County; Gulf County;
Franklin County; Wakulla County
Regional Area 2
Taylor County; Dixie County; Madison County; Suwannee County; Columbia County; Gilchrist County;
Bradford County
Regional Area 3
Duval County; Nassau County; Baker County; Clay County; Putnam County
Regional Area 4
Levy County; Citrus County; Hernando County; Pasco County; Pinellas County; Hillsborough County;
Manatee County
Regional Area 5
Sarasota County; Charlotte County; Lee County; Collier County; Monroe County
Regional Area 6
St. Lucie County; Martin County; Palm Beach County
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These Regional Areas exhibit Most Impacted Characteristics and Most Distressed Characteristics which
affect the ability of the area to recover from the Qualified Disasters as a result of Tropical Storm Debby,
Hurricane Isaac, and/or the 2013 Severe Storms and Flooding that occurred in 2012 and 2013. (See
Attachment A - GIS Analysis in Support of State of Florida Application to HUD National Disaster
Resilience Competition and Attachment B - Florida DEO Source Data)
Most Impacted Characteristics
Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Suwanee, Columbia, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Duval, Hernando, Pasco, and Pinellas
Sub-Counties experienced the Most Impacted Housing Characteristic. This information is based upon
data provided by HUD, originally from FEMA, which includes Census Track Total Damage > 100 Housing
Units, Census Tract Data Serious Damage > 20 Housing Units, Populated Place Total Damage > 100
Housing Units, and Populated Place Serious Damage > 20 Housing units.
Santa Rosa, Manatee, Sarasota, and Martin Sub-Counties experienced the Most Impacted Infrastructure
Characteristic with projects totaling $2.0 million or greater. This information is based upon Public
Assistance data provided by FEMA summarized to Tracts and Populated Place.
There were no Sub-Counties that experienced the Most Impacted Economic Revitalization Characteristic.
Regional Area 1 (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, Wakulla); Taylor; Dixie;
Madison; Suwannee; Gilchrist; Duval; Nassau; Putnam; Regional Area 4 (Levy, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco,
Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee); Regional Area 5 (Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Monroe); and
Regional Area 6 (St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach) Sub-Counties experienced the Most Impacted
Environmental Degradation Characteristic.
This information is based upon Sinkhole Data obtained by the Florida Geological Survey Post Tropical
Storm Debby Sinkhole Survey and the Florida DEM Watch Office Incident Reports summarized to Tract
and Populated Place, and the Coastal Erosion Critical Areas obtained from the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection summarized to Tract and Populated Place.
Most Distressed Characteristics
Escambia, Okaloosa, Bay, Duval, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, and Manatee Sub-Counties;
Regional Area 5 (Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Monroe); and Regional Area 6 (St Lucie, Martin, Palm
Beach) experienced the Most Distressed Characteristics based upon HUD data including Disaster
Impacted Low/Moderate Income Household Block Groups.
Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Washington, Bay, Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison,
Taylor, Suwanee, Columbia, Lafayette, Bradford, and Gilchrist; Regional Area 3 (Duval, Nassau, Baker,
Clay, Putnam); Regional Area 4 (Levy, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco; Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee); Polk,
Highlands, and Glades; Regional Area 5 (Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Monroe); and Regional Area 6
(St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach) Sub-Counties experienced Most Distressed Characteristics. This is based
upon information on Loss/Shortage of Affordable Rental Housing provided by the University of Florida,
Shimberg Center, and Census Tract Data for Severe Shortage of Rental Housing, and High Risk of
Damage from Future Events.
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Hamilton; Dixie, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Lee, and St Lucie Sub-Counties experienced Most Distressed
Characteristics. This is based upon Tribal lands obtained from the Florida Geographic Data Library and
Economically Fragile Areas with an unemployment rate more than 125 percent of the national average
unemployment rate obtained from DEO.
Regional Area 1 (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, Wakulla); Holmes,
Washington, Liberty, Jefferson, Hamilton; Regional Area 2 (Taylor, Dixie, Madison, Suwannee, Columbia,
Gilchrist, Bradford); Regional Area 3 (Duval, Nassau, Baker, Clay, Putnam); Regional Area 4 (Levy, Citrus,
Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee); Polk, Highlands, Glades; Regional Area 5 (Sarasota,
Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Monroe); and Regional Area 6 (St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach) Sub-Counties
experienced Most Distressed Characteristics based upon information based upon Brownfield Sites
provided by HUD, originally Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Data, State Funded
Clean Up Sites, DEP Clean Up Sites, Dry Cleaning Solvent Program Clean Up Sites, and HAZWASTE Site
obtained through the DEP GeoData Directory. Colored Contaminated Site Areas referenced on the maps
are either in a Census Tract or Populated Place.
Unmet Recovery Needs Threshold
The State of Florida has Unmet Recovery Needs, meaning needs that have not been addressed by
Federal, state, or other sources, in the areas identified in this letter as “Most Impacted and Distressed.”
The State of Florida did not receive a previous allocation of CDBG Disaster Recovery funds as a result of
Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Isaac, or the 2013 Severe Storms and Flooding that occurred in 2012
and 2013. DEO is providing information that meets the criteria and acceptable data sources, as
identified in Appendix G., Section III.B., for housing as it relates the Duval Sub-County. Parts of Duval
County (Census Tracts 101.3, 138, 139.05, 140.01, 141.02, 142.02, 142.03) still has households that were
displaced from housing due to Tropical Storm Debby or from housing units in or near the impacted area
that were damaged by Tropical Storm Debby and not yet repaired. It is important to note that the
individual tracts that meet qualifications for Duval County are on our list of “Census Tracts and
Populated Places by County that meet one or more Most Impacted Characteristics and one or more
Distressed Characteristics” chart, however, all tracts within the City of Jacksonville are qualified because
the City of Jacksonville’s Populated Place covers most of Duval County.
Jacksonville’s Citizens Active Response Effort (C.A.R.E) System indicated damaged households within the
City. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, Emergency Preparedness Division, conducted
methodologically sound “windshield” surveys of the impacted area during the week of October 20-24,
2014. A list of homeowners, addresses, telephone numbers, and census tract data was provided to DEO
identifying the remaining damage. A survey of 20 of these addresses confirmed that damage was due to
Tropical Storm Debby during 2012 and that the occupants had inadequate resources from insurance,
FEMA, or the Small Business Administration for completing the repairs.
It is important to note that Jacksonville (Duval County) has been recognized by the Rockefeller
Foundation as one of the “100 Resilient Cities”, hence, DEO considers this Sub-County as an excellent
area to highlight. Resilience in this context is defined as “the ability of a city to maintain essential
functions and to evolve and emerge stronger in the face of acute shocks and chronic stresses.” As a 100
Resilient Cities member, Jacksonville receives support from a number of organizations that may be able
to contribute to a National Disaster Resilience Competition award for a project involving the city.
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Conclusion
As DEO moves forward through the National Disaster Resilience Competition application process, it is
anticipated that additional Unmet Recovery Needs Thresholds will be identified and documented.
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