TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — It’s been two months since Hurricane Helene made landfall in Tampa Bay, ripping through thousands of homes in its path.
Many people are still repairing and are making new arrangements for Thanksgiving dinner.
The city of Treasure Island said it received more than a thousand permit applications since Helene and has issued more than 150. Neighbors said they’re fed up with how slowly things are moving as we enter the holiday season.
Before the doors close for Thanksgiving break, contractors and residents filed into Treasure Island’s City Hall.
“During the flood, it’s been long, arduous painful, it hasn’t been very pleasant at all,” Joseph Nelson with I Use Joe said.
Lines might be short, but Nelson said there’s a long wait for permits, not just in Treasure Island but in several barrier islands.
“That’s the financially bad part of it and for the customer service it’s not optimal,” Nelson said.
The city said it has brought in volunteers and more staff to help process permits as quickly as possible. It plans to continue processing permits while offices are closed for the holiday.
“The city was able to get two state resources, two additional permit techs that are trained in that kind of work here. They’ve been on staff here for several weeks,” Commissioner Arden Dickey said.
But residents like Tony Johnson said more should be done. Instead of preparing a festive spread at home, Johnson said he won’t be home this Thursday.
“I’m going to a buffet for Thanksgiving,” he said.
Johnson said he’s been waiting for a substantial damage determination letter for over a month.
“What I call my trigger point is $96,000. If I hire a contractor, it may be over 45 or 50, but it wouldn’t be over 50,” Johnson said.
He believes the city could’ve had hundreds of families in their homes for Thanksgiving.
“I could be living in this house if the city had taken one of the two options available to it to handle the determination of substantial damages and the permitting process,” he explained.
The city said a substantial damage determination is required before approving a permit.
“I spend a little time here each day trying to rehab something while I wait for the determination letter and after that based upon what that letter says I’ll have to decide about how to proceed. I know that I will appeal it,” Johnson said.
If someone wants to appeal the decision made the city says they can fill out a damage reassessment request form online, in person or email flood@mytreasureisland.org.