DUNEDIN, Fla. — Many who reside in Westwind Cell Residence Park close to Dunedin are nonetheless being hit with a vortex of stress, anguish, and anxiousness nearly seven months after Hurricane Helene.
Cyndi Varney is aware of that firsthand.
“We don’t sleep properly in any respect anymore— not since we obtained the letter,” she stated.
In March, she obtained a letter with penalties: a considerable injury letter from Pinellas County. Due to a FEMA rule for particular flood hazard areas, Varney and her husband, Rod, should elevate, relocate, or abandon their house until they’ll show it isn’t considerably broken.
Lots of extra throughout Pinellas County face the identical dilemma.
“Quite a lot of these persons are aged,” stated Norma Scheele, who additionally lives at Westwind and was additionally dealing with a considerable injury willpower just lately. “They haven’t any place else to go.”
Monday, Pinellas County offered some aid.
The county moved the compliance deadline from June 1, 2025, to June 1, 2026, which suggests householders now have greater than a yr to both comply, present they’re attempting to conform or work their reassessment case.
This extension permits householders to stay of their properties whereas working towards compliance.
“Nonetheless, it doesn’t allow householders to undertake enhancements past minor repairs crucial for security and habitability,” a Pinellas County spokesperson clarified. “Owners are anticipated to reveal progress towards compliance throughout this era.”
The county spokesperson stated the extension would additionally give individuals extra time to doubtlessly obtain monetary aid, which might come from the $813 million grant the county obtained from the federal authorities earlier this yr. The county is presently drawing up a plan to spend that cash to greatest assist storm victims.
“What can we get assist with?” Rod Varney stated. “You understand, it’s out of pocket.”
The Varneys are skeptical that the deadline extension will finally assist them. If something, they consider it delays the inevitable: the choice they could need to make to desert their house, which they are saying was declared considerably broken regardless that the within didn’t flood throughout Hurricane Helene.
“That is the situation that we selected to be in and we invested in all these years,” Cyndi stated.
For now, the stress, anguish, and anxiousness aren’t going anyplace anytime quickly.
The Might 31, 2025, deadline to file for a reassessment of a considerable injury willpower has not modified.
Based on the county, within the occasion of a named storm this upcoming hurricane season, individuals residing in properties with a considerable injury willpower and short-term occupancy permits should observe the identical evacuation orders as different residents.
“If there had simply been a trooper up there, possibly this complete factor might have been prevented.”
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