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 assumed I discovered heaven after I moved down right here,” he mentioned.
Solar Retreats Dunedin, a cell residence park, now appears 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 uncertain in the event that they’ll have the ability to rebuild, uncertain in the event that they’ll get cash to raise, and uncertain in the event that they’ll have to maneuver away and discover a new residence some other place, possibly exterior Pinellas County.
WATCH: Pinellas County cell residence homeowners hope the county will use federal funding to assist
Pinellas County cell residence homeowners hope county will use federal funding to assist
“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 folks like Weaver and Pickering, assist is perhaps on the way in which.
Pinellas County is drawing up a plan for the $813 million in federal funding it was lately awarded to assist meet unmet wants after the current hurricanes.
By all accounts, the unmet wants are nonetheless a lot.
“There are folks in right here which have gone into debt taking out, maxed out their credit score simply making an attempt 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 owners, reconstruct or rehabilitate their houses, elevate or exchange houses the place that’s required, or relocate cell houses the place they’ll’t get replaced or rebuilt.
Roughly $21 million could possibly be spent to reimburse owners for prices they’ve already paid to demolish, rebuild, or rehab houses.
One other $10 million could possibly be spent to relocate owners from sure susceptible cell residence communities.
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Pickering, Weaver and Debby don’t wish to be relocated. If attainable, they wish to stay at Solar Retreats Dunedin.
“We simply wish to get again to our lives,” he mentioned.
Regardless, they know a lot of their neighbors will need assistance, they usually hope the county will ship ample support.
“Please simply don’t overlook about us, ,” Pickering mentioned.
You possibly can share your ideas with Pinellas County in regards to the plan for the funds by Could 23. Click on right here to take action.
