The City of Bonita Springs is getting a $5 million grant from the state to buy back homes in highly flood-prone areas.

The Rebuild Florida Voluntary Home Buyout Program prioritizes households with lower incomes that did not have flood insurance when Hurricane Irma hit in September of 2017. Homes with senior citizens, children, and disabled residents will also take priority. This statewide program will grant, in total, over $44 million to flood-prone cities.

Over 70 homeowners in Bonita Springs applied for the program. Once finalized, each home will be professionally appraised based on the condition they were in before being flooded during Hurricane Irma. According to the program’s website, the City of Bonita Springs cannot sell land purchased with the grant. The city will be required to “maintain [the property] in perpetuity for open space, recreation, wetland or flood control,”

The program will be focused on the Imperial Gates neighborhood of Bonita Springs- the area North of Bonita Beach Road, East of Imperial Parkway and West of I-75.