TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – Tampa Bay Area people were looking for permission for delays, letters of considerable damage, or answers from accountable people as they faced the hurdle after the storm last year cleaned up the state.
Many of these questions and concerns still remain, especially for those stuck outside their homes eight months after Hurricane Helen and Milton landed.
“Remember there’s a six-month non-hurricane season that these municipalities can prepare. This should really be one of their top priorities,” said Sen. Nick Diceglie, R-Indian Rocks Beach.
After Hurricane Helen and Milton, Bay Area residents encountered frustration awaiting permission to rebuild their lives.
“The fact that we’ve been going for eight months to post Hurricane Helen and some people have yet to get permission in some of these jurisdictions, but it’s still not acceptable to me,” Diceglie said.
These challenges have led lawmakers to write and pass laws requiring cities and counties to post detailed post-hurricane permit plans by May 1st each year.
“It’s still a long and very frustrating process, but if you can cut the time in half, it’s going to make a huge difference,” Diceglie said.
The bill also aims to prevent bureaucratic “ping-pong” residents faced between local agencies and FEMA.
“I think it’s going to make communication clear. I’ve heard a lot of people want to do this.
Diseglie adds that property owners must get a response directly from the local government and do not need to bounce back in an attempt to obtain a permit.
“If we can get a direct line of communication with the government agencies responsible for handling these permits, I think it will alleviate a lot of confusion and actually streamline the process,” Diceglie said.
On Capitol Hill, plans to leave FEMA, along with President Donald Trump, are simply saying they want to “stage” agents and give them less money.
“All we have to do is re-environment what FEMA does,” U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) said when asked about the agency’s future.
It appears that FEMA mods could happen after this hurricane season. Trump says the state will have less federal aid in response to natural disasters.
For now, the State Capitol Hurricane bill is awaiting approval from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
