Hello everyone.
Florida weathered Hurricane Isaias relatively well, with state and local agencies, first responders and utility crews working quickly to protect residents and restore services across Northwest Florida. The storm made landfall near Destin on Oct. 9 as a Category 2 hurricane, bringing damaging winds and power outages. By Oct. 13, electricity had been restored to 95% of the nearly 450,000 customers who lost power, and crews had cleared all interstates and major arterial roads within eight hours of landfall. All state-owned bridges were also inspected and reopened.
Recovery efforts continue in affected communities, with state agencies coordinating assistance for residents and businesses. Eleven Points of Distribution across Escambia, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties are providing essentials such as water, food, ice and tarps. The Florida Department of Financial Services has opened insurance assistance hubs in Pensacola and Destin, while the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is helping connect consumers with licensed contractors and monitoring for unlicensed activity.
Small businesses and agricultural producers also have access to recovery resources. FloridaCommerce activated a $10 million Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program offering short-term, zero-interest loans to eligible businesses affected by the storm. Applications are being accepted through Nov. 25, 2026, or until funds are exhausted. Eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers can also access a separate recovery loan program.
As recovery continues, we want to remind you that the Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund is available to help eligible members recover from storm-related property damage. Members affected by Hurricane Isaias can learn more about available assistance and how to apply through the Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund resources.
While recovery will take time for some communities, the swift restoration of power, reopening of major roads and coordinated response efforts are helping Northwest Florida move forward. Residents and businesses can find additional recovery information and assistance by going HERE and HERE.
IRS Extends Tax Deadlines for Hurricane Isaias Victims
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced tax relief for individuals and businesses in Florida affected by Hurricane Isaias, which began Oct. 9, 2026. Eligible taxpayers in 27 designated counties across the Panhandle and North Florida now have until Feb. 8, 2027, to file certain federal tax returns and make tax payments originally due between Oct. 9, 2026, and Feb. 8, 2027. The extension covers most individual and business tax returns, certain quarterly payroll and excise tax returns, and estimated income tax payments.
The IRS will automatically apply the relief to taxpayers who live or operate a business in the designated disaster area. Taxpayers outside the covered counties whose necessary tax records are located in the disaster area may also qualify by contacting the IRS at 866-562-5227. Penalties on certain payroll and excise tax deposits due between Oct. 9 and Oct. 26 will be waived if the deposits are made by Oct. 26.
Affected taxpayers may also qualify for disaster-related casualty loss deductions for uninsured or unreimbursed property damage, along with other forms of assistance. For the full details on this announcement, go HERE.
$1 Million Tourism Campaign to Support Northwest Florida Recovery
Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced a $1 million investment through VISIT FLORIDA to help Northwest Florida recover from Hurricane Isaias. The funding will go to the Northwest Florida Tourism Council to restart its Northwest Florida Beaches marketing campaign, promoting the region's beaches, outdoor recreation and visitor experiences. The campaign will focus on fall and winter travel from drive-market visitors, with additional support for the hardest-hit counties.
The investment builds on a previous partnership that generated more than 2 million additional visitors between 2024 and 2025, contributing $327 million in additional visitor spending and supporting nearly 3,000 jobs. According to the state, every dollar invested in the campaign during that period generated $58.95 in total economic impact. The funding comes from VISIT FLORIDA's dedicated crisis recovery budget, which supports tourism recovery following hurricanes and other disasters.
The Northwest Florida Tourism Council represents eight Gulf Coast counties. State and local tourism leaders will coordinate the campaign to encourage visitors to return and support businesses throughout the Panhandle. For more information on this announcement go HERE.
Florida Requests Approval for Major Disaster Declaration Following Hurricane Isaias
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has submitted a request to the federal government for a Major Disaster Declaration following Hurricane Isaias. The request seeks additional federal resources to support impacted communities across Northwest Florida, including Public Assistance for 15 counties and Individual Assistance for eligible residents in 8 designated counties.
Securing a Major Disaster Declaration requires extensive coordination between state, local and federal partners to document storm-related damage, identify unmet needs and demonstrate the severity and magnitude of the disaster.
Florida's request includes Public Assistance for the following 15 counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.
If approved, Public Assistance would make federal funding available to eligible state and local governments and certain nonprofit organizations to offset disaster response and recovery costs. Depending on the categories authorized, eligible expenses may include:
Debris removal and emergency protective measures.
Emergency response operations necessary to protect public health and safety.
Repair or replacement of damaged roads, bridges, public buildings, utilities and other critical infrastructure.
This funding is particularly important for Florida's smaller and fiscally constrained counties, where the financial burden of responding to and recovering from a major hurricane can significantly strain local resources.
The request also seeks Individual Assistance for residents in Bay, Escambia, Gulf, Holmes, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties who experienced damage to their homes and personal property as a result of Hurricane Isaias.
If approved, Individual Assistance could provide eligible households with funding for temporary housing, basic home repairs, essential personal property and other necessary disaster-related expenses, depending on the programs authorized and individual eligibility. The program is designed to help residents address uninsured or underinsured losses and begin the recovery process.
Read more HERE.
NAR Continues Push to Expand Members' Health Coverage Options
On October 2, NAR met with the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to discuss the Department of Labor's (DOL) draft proposal that could expand access to Association Health Plans (AHPs) for real estate professionals. The meeting gave NAR another opportunity to share the REALTOR® perspective and prior experience with AHPs as the administration reviews the proposal.
AHPs allow groups of employers to band together and offer health coverage through a trade association. Because most real estate professionals are independent contractors, federal law generally limits them to obtaining coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace unless they are covered through a spouse's plan or a government program such as Medicare. In NAR's 2026 survey, 18% of members reported obtaining coverage through the ACA marketplace, while 14% reported having no health insurance. Among uninsured members, 91% cited premiums as a reason for going without coverage and 58% cited deductibles and co-pays.
The OMB meeting was the latest step in NAR's broader advocacy effort. Earlier this year, NAR met with the DOL, the Department of Health and Human Services, and White House Domestic Policy Council to advocate for a new AHP rule. More information about those efforts is available in Expanding Health Coverage Options a Priority, NAR Says. NAR has also continued to pursue a legislative solution, testifying before Congress and helping to pass the NAR-supported Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act (H.R. 6703) out of the House last December. NAR is urging the Senate to take up the House bill.
Read the full story HERE.
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This Week in Florida History (October 12 - October 18)
Oct. 16, 1863: Union and Confederate forces clashed at the Battle of Fort Brooke in Tampa during the Civil War. Tampa's location along the Gulf Coast made it an important military target, with Fort Brooke serving as a Confederate outpost and supply center. The battle was part of the larger struggle for control of Florida's coastal ports and transportation routes.
Please reach out to us at publicpolicy@floridarealtors.org with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Trey Goldman
Senior Vice President of Public Policy
Florida Realtors®