APOPKA, Fla. — Orange County will issue $7.26 million to those who need rental or mortgage assistance after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in Apopka that the state is dispersing $75 million in funds statewide from the CARES Act.

Housing affordability, a problem in Central Florida even before the coronavirus pandemic hit, has become a bigger concern because of higher unemployment resulting from the nationwide health emergency. 

Osceola County will receive $2.5 million, and Seminole County will get $1.1 million. 

Wendover Housing Partners has 12 affordable housing complexes with about 7,500 tenants. Wendover officials say about 400 tenants currently are working with them on trying to get CARES Act funding to help pay for rent.

They say they expect more tenants to seek help in the future, though.

“Even though 5-6 percent of our residents have been impacted to date, a lot more of our folks are coming in and saying we are anticipating more hardships in the months ahead," according to Jonathan Wolf,  president and founder of Wendover Housing Partners. "We also have some telling us we don’t know what we are going to do come the fall.”

Mayor Jerry Demings said Orange County’s unemployment rate climbed from about 3 percent to 13 percent during the peak of the pandemic and that this funding will continue to help families in need to help pay their rent or mortgages.