DeSOTO COUNTY, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference Thursday morning at a wedding venue near Arcadia to announce millions in grants for rural communities.
“One vehicle that we have for strategic investments is the Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program. This is a program since 2019 that has awarded more than $138 million in funds to more than 120 small city and rural communities throughout the state of Florida and part of what makes us strong is that we understand the opportunities that we have in our rural communities,“ he said.
Joined at King’s Crossing Barn & Farm by Florida Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly and Florida Senate President Ben Albritton, R-District 27, DeSantis announced the following disbursements:
- $6.4 million for Arcadia
- Upgrades for existing biosolids processing system at William Tyson wastewater treatment plant.
- $5.9 million for Florida City
- Wastewater treatment plant improvements at nine service areas.
- $4.5 million for Live Oak/Suwannee County
- $3 million to fund upgrades to Live Oak’s potable water system.
- $1.5 million to rehabilitate or replace at least 21 homes for lower-income households throughout county.
- $2.89 million for Webster
- Install a new master lift station and a new emergency generator.
- $2.8 million for Lake Butler
- Replace water lines throughout the city.
- $1.7 million to Port St. Joe
- Make sidewalk landscaping, irrigation, and underground utility improvements.
- $1.2 million to Green Cove Springs
- Install stormwater piping, swales, and inlets.
- $1 million to Blountstown
- Replace aging and unreliable water and sewer lines.
- $1 million to Liberty County
- Complete improvements at Veterans Memorial Park.
- $1 million to Santa Rosa County
- Construct a retention pond at the Whiting Aviation Park in Santa Rosa, creating 10 jobs and retaining 10 others.
- Almost $1 million to Esto
- Complete improvements to town water plant and conduct waterline replacement activities.
- $1.5 million to Hamilton County
- Housing mission.
- $1.5 to Lafayette County
- Housing mission.
- $1.2 to Columbia County
- Housing mission.
- $950,000 to Madison County
- Housing mission.
- $900,000 to Hendry County
- Housing mission.
- $850,000 to St. Lucie County
- Housing Mission
- $750,000 to Levy County
- Housing Mission
- $912,000 to Malone
- Housing Mission
Watch the news conference again in the video payer below or by clicking here.