Pinellas County faces a ‘monumental’ rebuilding process

Nearly 41,000 Pinellas County homes sustained storm damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Those residents should wait for a heavily regulated inspection process to conclude before conducting repairs.

Pinellas County officials and representatives from a disaster consultancy firm met Thursday to discuss how federal requirements would dictate – and prolong – extensive recovery efforts. A month has already passed since Helene’s storm surge inundated the area.

Commissioner Brian Scott stated that the county’s priority is addressing the “immediate needs of residents facing unimaginable hardships.” He noted that officials must also focus on substantial long-term rebuilding challenges, “which will not only require physical resources, but emotional resilience and a lot of patience.”

“It will be a monumental task – a challenge greater than any Pinellas County has ever faced before,” Scott added. “But with the strength of our residents, we will rebuild stronger than ever before.”

The workshop focused on the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) required post-disaster substantial damage assessments (SDA). Commissioners also discussed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) 50% rebuilding rule.

County Administrator Barry Burton hired the firm after Helene. He told commissioners that a holistic view of the various interrelated federal government programs would “make your head hurt.”

NFIP is a voluntary program required to receive FEMA assistance. The first step in the recovery process for local governments is to complete the SDA process. That will determine what structures meet substantial damage thresholds.

FEMA considers buildings with repair costs exceeding 49% of the previous market value substantially damaged. Owners must then elevate, relocate or demolish the structure.

“We have a housing issue,” Burton said. “It’s hard for people to find a place right now. I don’t know what we can do … but we’re going to look at everything we can to help people.”

A graphic highlighting the consequences of repairing homes before FEMA-regulated inspections. Screengrab, county documents.

The regulations extend to every structure in the county’s floodplain – areas with a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year. Shirley Valentin, a manager for Hagerty, said FEMA expects local governments to enforce the requirements and inspect all qualified buildings, regardless of damage.

County officials expect to complete inspections in 60 to 90 days. Residents can then apply for assistance. The entire rebuilding process could take several years.

Tanya Shannon, a deputy director for Hagerty, warned that FEMA could also deny many claims for individual assistance, capped at $42,000 per person, due to the county’s “unique” situation.

“They have to say the right thing for (Hurricane) Debby, they have to say a separate right thing for Helene, and they have to say a separate right thing for Milton – on three different phone calls,” Shannon said. “If they mix that up, there could be delays or disruptions in the amount of assistance they receive.”

Local officials and residents could face harsh consequences for not adhering to the process. Those include a loss of mortgage access for homes inside the floodplain and ineligibility for federal grants.

Shannon said the agencies could also require stakeholders to repay previously distributed assistance. Burton noted that residents must “tear out” completed repairs on a home later considered substantially damaged.

He said FEMA will audit every qualified structure. Shannon noted the agency took four years to notify uncompliant residents after Hurricane Katrina. “Imagine how much they got done in those four years that had to be completely redone once … FEMA did the audit,” she added.

Burton said he would explore allowing temporary occupancy in safe homes with minor damage. Building officials said property owners could compile repair estimates and construction designs while they wait for an inspection.

“There are a wide variety of different types of programs that can provide support,” Shannon said. “It’s a matter of putting the puzzle pieces of recovery together.”

Burton said Pinellas received 75 of 100 requested additional inspectors from the state. Some will assist municipalities, and others will concentrate on unincorporated areas.

Burton said officials took a proactive approach and quickly began the inspection process to mitigate the number of people wasting money repairing a substantially damaged home. “It’s very Big Brother,” he said of the process. “But it’s real.”

Administrators are now developing a community outreach campaign. “We have to have an effective communications plan to make sure we’re getting this information out to residents as timely and accurately as we possibly can,” Scott said.