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Help is on the way for victims of Hurricane Michael in the Florida panhandle according to the State Department of Economic Opportunity.

The agency said it’s on course to accept and distribute nearly a billion Housing and Urban Development relief dollars that will go towards rebuilding lost homes and businesses.

In the meantime, DEO Executive Director Ken Lawson said DEO will be holding public hearings throughout the week to ensure as soon as the money is made available from the Federal government it will go where it is most needed.

“We’re receiving close to a billion dollars from the Federal Government so there a process that takes time. We have to be transparent, be accurate and accountable. But regardless of how much time it takes the Federal Government, we at the state at DEO are going to make sure we do everything as quickly as possible to understand the needs, provide that in-state action plan so when we do get the money from the Federal Government we can put it on the street,” said Lawson.

DEO did not give a specific timeline for when it expects the funds to be made available.