Franklin County has agreed to increase the amount of federal money it will seek to help Eastpoint fire victims

 Franklin County has agreed to increase the amount of federal money it will seek to help Eastpoint fire victims.

The board on Tuesday voted to ask for over 3.7 million dollars through the community development block grant program to help rehabilitate or replace homes damaged or destroyed in the Eastpoint wildfire on June the 24^th.

The original request was for 700 thousand dollars which is the maximum allowed through the program.

The county will seek a special waiver to request the additional funding.

Deborah Belcher, who is in charge of the program, said if the money is approved it would fund the replacement of 30 homes that were destroyed and repairs to 16 more that were damaged in the fire.

She added that the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity might even be able to provide the money through a grant the county had already closed out to greatly speed up the process.

Even so it could still be months before the funding is available.

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