Latest news with #ResilientSRQ
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hurricane Ian victim gets home replacement through Resilient SRQ program
SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — For residents impacted by Hurricane Ian in 2022, the recovery process has been a long one. This week, a storm victim in Venice celebrated a big milestone in her recovery journey. Crews showed up outside Diane Flanagan's mobile home early Monday to demolish it. Once her lot is fully cleared, she will receive a replacement home through Sarasota County's Resilient SRQ Housing Recovery Program. 'I wasn't expecting to get what I am getting. I was hoping for a little help, but to be in a new home that is built with more hurricane-resistant standards is just… it is just so comforting because the next one could've blown away completely,' said Flanagan. Massive great white shark pings off Florida Gulf Coast The retired teacher described her neighborhood as a 'war zone' after Ian. With less than two months until this upcoming hurricane season, she's relieved to finally have her fresh start. Surrounded by neighbors and Resilient SRQ staff, Flanagan was grinning from ear to ear during the demolition. 'I am very, very, very happy. I can't even begin to express how thrilled I am. I'm thankful,' said Flanagan. Flanagan is one of the first homeowners in the county to receive a replacement home through the federally funded county program. 'A couple years ago when Sarasota County was really fortunate to get this gift of funding from the federal government from HUD, one of the first things we thought about was the county is going to be replacing homes, demoing homes, rehabilitating homes, things of that nature. It is the first time really the county has been in this business. It has taken a long time to get to this point, there is a big process that we have to follow and it's really exciting to see all those efforts come together here today and for these homeowners and over the next few months as we start cranking things out,' said Division Manager for the Program Management Division at Sarasota County Steve Hyatt. Hyatt says there are 40 to 50 homes in the pipeline that will be replaced in the next few months. 'We will also have some single-family homes that will be fully reconstructed, and we have had quite a few of rehabilitations for homes. We are replacing roofs, windows, things of that nature while also taking those elements and putting more impact-resistant elements into those homes, like impact windows, roof tiedowns, more resilient homes are coming into the community through this program. We are not just putting the community back to where it once was, but we are making it better, we are making it more resilient,' said Hyatt. Hyatt said other counties across the region are looking at this program as an example of what to do with similar hurricane disaster recovery funds 'We are trying to help not just Sarasota County, but the region to be prepared to take on this funding and hit the ground running and utilize experiencing that we gained to make their communities more resilient,' said Hyatt. Flanagan is elated for the new beginning in a more durable home. 'I really can't put a number on what this might be saving the homeowners, but think about it. They may have had a home that was severely damaged and now they are going to get a brand new home, they are not going to have to worry about if things are met up to code or if the contractor pulled the permit, we are doing everything by the books, so the homeowners are going to be in a really good place when we leave them,' said Housing Recovery Project Manager for Resilient SRQ Tammy Owens. The county received an additional $210 million following hurricanes Debbie, Helene and Milton in 2024. A draft action plan will go before commissioners on April 22. 'A lot of those dollars are more than likely going to be directed toward infrastructure projects. We will have quite a few multifamily affordable housing projects, and again, probably some projects like this today where there will be replacement of homes, elevation of a home, rehabilitation, reimbursement to homeowners and things of that nature,' said Hyatt. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Experts say Manatee County is running out of time to prepare for 2025 hurricane season
The Brief Manatee County officials and residents are worried that time is running out to fully prepare for 2025's hurricane season, which is less than 100 days away, after getting struck hard by storms in 2024. Independent contractors hired by the county warn that without better preparations for storm season, the county will again be susceptible to devastating impacts. Contractors noted outdated flood maps and stormwater treatment infrastructure as sources of concern as storm season approaches. LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. - With less than 100 days until hurricane season, some people in Manatee County are still rebuilding from Tropical Storm Debby. In August 2024, Debby caused unexpected and devastating flooding in areas like Lakewood Ranch. Dig deeper Recently, an independent contractor hired by Manatee County to study the flooding from Debby shared his findings. "We looked at three primary sources," Patrick Tara, a principal engineer with INTERA, said. "One was storm surge. The other one was rainfall runoff, and the third was the reservoir release from Lake Manatee." READ: Barrier Island mayors send letter to President Trump with 100 days left until 2025 Hurricane Season Families who have lived in areas like Lakewood Ranch for more than a decade say their homes had never flooded until Debby. "Rainfall was the primary source of flooding, and the reservoir release was not a significant factor," Tara said. Tara says the primary focus of the study was originally on the Braden River. "If the reservoir release was a significant factor, it would have been greatly delayed from when the reservoir released the water and finally made it down to the Braden River." Tara says they also studied Gamble Creek. What they're saying Residents like Jill Sauchinitz and her family were displaced from their home for five months after Debby. She says the storm left 17 inches of water in their home. "We could not leave on our own," Sauchinitz said. "We could not walk. We could not drive. So, we had to call for emergency rescue." Sauchinitz says she worries that every time they get a heavy rain, their home might flood again. READ: Resilient SRQ releases first funds of $55 million for Hurricane Ian Housing Recovery Program Sauchinitz feels like there hasn't been action taken to make changes or improvements to stormwater infrastructure and systems in order to prevent this type of flooding from happening again. "We don't have that time," she said. "We have 90 days until hurricane season." Big picture view Manatee County stormwater engineers say the Braden River area has grown extensively, signaling the need for more stormwater infrastructure maintenance and long-term improvement projects. "Whether they be south county with Lakewood Ranch or up in the vicinity of Parrish, that maintenance needs to expand in conjunction with the development," Manatee County Stormwater Engineering Division Manager Thomas Gerstenberger said. Gerstenberger says there are two prongs to the work that needs to be done. READ: Woman arrested in Sarasota hit-and-run crash that killed 2 kids, critically injured mother: Police "As far as addressing the debris and the blockages that have culminated because of the storms that were experienced in 2024, to address those as debris removal maintenance," Gerstenberger said. "In the long term, to address long-term maintenance needs through those property owners, and to also identify future potential projects which can address both flood control and can address the conveyance capacity of our drainage systems in Manatee County." Gerstenberger says flood maps used for the design and grading of some developments in the county are outdated. "With respect to Summerfield, the flood maps that were utilized back in the late 90s, back when Summerfield was constructed, those flood maps have not been revised or altered to today's date," Gerstenberger said. "It was essentially from 1992, effective from to present. There has been no update to those flood insurance free maps in Lakewood Ranch." READ: Driver killed, another seriously hurt in fiery rollover crash on SR 54: FHP Gerstenberger says the county is developing eight watershed management plans with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which will take years to complete. "The end result would be to submit the improvements in that data, the drainage modeling and the flood mapping from those watershed management plans to FEMA to update countywide flood insurance rating maps," Gerstenberger said. What's next As the area keeps growing, Tara says the county's stormwater treatment infrastructure, like retention ponds, will have to grow with it. However, the county says one hurdle it faces is the price tag of each project. "At this point, stormwater engineering in this county, we're relying upon ad valorem taxes or and infrastructure sales tax, where it is available to utilize incremental taxing districts," Gerstenberger said. The county says any option for a funding source is on the table. Gerstenberger says they expect to discuss emergency maintenance funding with the county commission later this month. Sauchinitz says they don't have time to wait for the county to act and worries that the county won't make the necessary changes before the 2025 hurricane season. "We live in Florida, there are times when it rains hard," Sauchinitz said. "Hurricane season starts in 90 days. When are they going to do something?" The county is also using data from a different study conducted by the developer of Lakewood Ranch to explore remediation options. Recently, Sarasota County announced a proposal to spend $75 million of federal funds to dredge multiple waterways, including Phillippi Creek, which contributed to devastating flooding after Debby. Sauchinitz says she would like to see similar projects proposed for waterways in Manatee County, which has also experienced major flooding. "It's long past due," she said. "We are drained. We have been forced into financial ruins. Our lives will never be the same," Sauchinitz The Source FOX 13's Kylie Jones collected the information in this story. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Resilient SRQ releases first funds of $55 million for Hurricane Ian Housing Recovery Program
The Brief Sarasota's Resilient Housing Recovery Program (SRQ) is providing replacement homes for nearly three years after Hurricane Ian. The program received $55 million from HUD in 2023 to help people recover from the storm and has released the first of those funds. A North Port resident describes being overcome with joy when he learned he was getting a replacement house. NORTH PORT, Fla. - Hours after Hurricane Ian passed through North Port in September 2022, Warren Dodge stood outside his home of 12 years at La Casa Mobile Home Park. "The whole roof was hanging down, the installation was soaked from two feet of rain. All the floors were warpy. I actually fell through when I walked into the living room," Dodge told FOX 13. The backstory As his family helped save what they could, he described having one thought. "I said 'I don't really know what to do,'" Dodge said. READ: Florida's legislative session begins this week. Here are some of the key bills filed in Tallahassee FEMA funds helped him out a bit, but Dodge was forced to live with his son for several weeks. "I was able to make it livable for a while," said Dodge. But, the damage remained. "Heavy rainstorms, I would have to put bowls and pans out. Every rainstorm it was like a different place, too. I was getting too old and lame to get up on the roof anymore and patch it," Dodge said. Dig deeper More than two years after Hurricane Ian, Dodge learned about Resilient SRQ and applied for the Housing Recovery Program. "I was actually quite surprised myself to see, almost two and a half years later the devastation that is still there. To see the circumstances and the environment they have to live in is just heartbreaking," said Tammy Owens, the housing recovery project manager with Resilient SRQ. READ: New storm recovery program is helping Florida residents raise homes, build back stronger after hurricanes Fifty-five million dollars has been allocated to the program and funded by the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, in 2023. "I love helping the community and the response we are getting with the applicants we met with last week," said Owens. "It makes it worth what I do every day, and I'm so thrilled to be a part of it. We are here to help the community, and now we are really doing it." What's next Dodge learned last week that he would receive a replacement home. "I was dumbfounded. I could hardly speak," Dodge said. READ: Gulfport's Nikita Johnson accelerates on his hometown track at Firestone Grand Prix Dodge can breathe a sigh of relief for the first time in two and a half years. "The quality of my life is changing for the better, like that with one phone call. Now, I will be safe and comfortable, hopefully for the rest of my life. Months before that, I didn't think that would happen," Dodge said. Resilient SRQ is now in the active process of working on a plan for the distribution of the latest round of funding for the 2024 hurricane season. For more information, click here. The Source FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon collected the information in this story. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sarasota County on a tighter clock to come up with plan for federal hurricane funds
Local officials will have a shorter timeline than they did after Hurricane Ian to figure out how to distribute about $210 million in federal recovery funds for the trio of Gulf storms that slammed Sarasota County last autumn. The county has 90 days to submit a spending plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on how to spend the money, half of the time given for the previous round of funding. The Resilient SRQ program was launched to spend the $201 million received from HUD to recover after Hurricane Ian. and to protect against future disasters. For that funding, the county had had about six months to formulate an spending plan to present to federal authorities. For the funding HUD grant following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the timetable has been cut in half. Steve Hyatt, who oversees the Resilient SRQ program for Sarasota County, said in an email to the Herald-Tribune that the accelerated timeline was a HUD initiative to quicken community aid. 'We see HUD's 90-day requirement as a goal to see funding reach disaster survivors as quickly as possible while improving program efficiency,' Hyatt said. Sarasota County has received about $411 million in federal funds for four storms over three years. There are also several HUD criteria the county must meet as it disburses the money. Seventy percent of the funding – about $147 million – must benefit Sarasota County households with an income of $64,506 or less, while 85% must 'tie back' to Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton, or otherwise be used to build resiliency for future storms. All of the funds must also be used within six years of project approval. He said at an earlier meeting the process would involve collaboration with local nonprofits, business groups, neighborhood organizations, and municipalities, including Sarasota, Venice, and North Port as occurred in distributing Hurricane Ian funding. County officials seemed confident the program would ultimately meet federal approval, despite the recent upheaval in Washington, D.C., over federal funding. County officials took about two months to develop a draft plan for spending federal funds in 2023 and another two months for the County Commission to approve it last September. This time officials anticipate having a plan to present to the commission by February. After that, there will be about two months for public comment and response to that input the plan would be approved and passed up the chain to HUD, which would approve the plan by June. The county held four public meetings and also surveyed Sarasota County residents, businesses, and nonprofits on how they would want to see the money spent. Hyatt said the top priorities for most respondents were infrastructure – such as road and bridge repair, improved evacuation corridors and stormwater improvements – and housing assistance. Public Services, such as healthcare and childcare, and economic revitalization ranked near the bottom. Sarasota County's allotment is part of a $12 billion round of recovery funding for 23 states, 15 counties, eight cities, and one territory. The initial round of federal funding fell short of full compensating for the damage caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022. The county found after that storm there were about $700 million to $800 million in unmet needs, but only $201 million from HUD to address them. Christian Casale covers local government for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Email him at ccasale@ or christiancasale@ This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County on shorter timeline to plan Resilient SRQ distribution
