PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — It’s a tough sight to see.
Jason Pickering’s once-beachy and blissful neighborhood close to Dunedin has modified drastically since Hurricane Helene.
“I believed I discovered heaven after I moved down right here,” he mentioned.
Solar Retreats Dunedin, a cellular dwelling park, now appears to be like like hell in locations. The neighborhood flooded badly throughout Helene’s historic storm surge.
“There’s fairly just a few sleepless nights or nights interrupted by ideas of despair,” Pickering mentioned.
Pickering and neighbors like Debby Weaver are nonetheless in limbo seven months later. They’re not sure in the event that they’ll be capable of rebuild, not sure in the event that they’ll get cash to raise, and not sure in the event that they’ll have to maneuver away and discover a new dwelling elsewhere, perhaps exterior Pinellas County.
“I really feel like we deserve each alternative to remain right here and proceed to be productive residents of this county,” Weaver mentioned.
However for individuals like Weaver and Pickering, assist could be on the best way.
Pinellas County is drawing up a plan for the $813 million in federal funding it was not too long ago awarded to assist meet unmet wants after the latest hurricanes.
By all accounts, the unmet wants are nonetheless a lot.
“There are individuals in right here which have gone into debt taking out — maxed out their credit score simply attempting to purchase new automobiles and, , issues that have been ruined in right here,” Weaver mentioned.
In an preliminary draft motion plan for the cash, printed simply days in the past, Pinellas County proposes how it might spend the $813 million.
Of these funds, $490 million can be used to assist householders, reconstruct or rehabilitate their properties, elevate or exchange properties the place that’s required, or relocate cellular properties the place they’ll’t get replaced or rebuilt.
Roughly $21 million may very well be spent to reimburse householders for prices they’ve already paid to demolish, rebuild, or rehab properties.
One other $10 million may very well be spent to relocate householders from sure weak cellular dwelling communities.
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Pickering, Weaver and Debby don’t need to be relocated. If attainable, they need to stay at Solar Retreats Dunedin.
“We simply need to get again to our lives,” he mentioned.
Regardless, they know lots of their neighbors will need assistance, they usually hope the county will ship adequate support.
“Please simply don’t neglect about us, ,” Pickering mentioned.
You possibly can share your ideas with Pinellas County in regards to the plan for the funds by means of Might 23. Click on right here to take action.