Residents of Treasure Island filled a town hall meeting Wednesday night, expressing their frustration over the delays in returning to their homes since Hurricane Helene struck in September. Many attendees voiced their concerns about the slow issuance of substantial damage letters and repair permits.

“This is completely unacceptable that 90 days after the hurricanes, we’re still debating the technicalities of permitting,” remarked resident Andrew Vasey to Spectrum News. 

Vasey, whose home was inundated with over three feet of storm surge, has been displaced since September 27, navigating through four different Airbnbs amidst escalating rental prices and limited availability in St. Pete.

RELATED: Understanding Minimal Repair Permits in Substantial Damage Situations

He plans to demolish and rebuild his home but, like many others at the meeting, is still awaiting permits to begin any work. According to the city’s presentation, Treasure Island has processed 1,454 permit applications since Helene, nearly matching the total from the previous year. Only 400 permits have been issued or are ready for issuance, with 172 more requiring corrections or additional information. Regarding substantial damage notifications, 969 letters have been dispatched, identifying 644 buildings as significantly damaged.

Treasure Island Mayor John Doctor addressed the crowd, explaining that the city’s commissioners had voted to adopt FEMA’s “Option 2” for determining substantial damage. This new approach means residents no longer need to wait for a damage assessment letter before starting the permit process.

“We can bypass the wait for data. Now, it’s just a matter of simple calculation to determine damage percentage,” Doctor explained.

If the damage is below 50 percent, residents can proceed with repairs more swiftly, according to Doctor. However, residents emphasized the urgency for these changes to be implemented, highlighting the severe disruption to their lives.

RELATED: Treasure Island Residents Face Prolonged Permit Delays in Rebuilding After Hurricanes Helene and Milton

“The entire island was flooded with three feet of water,” Vasey added. “People are living in RVs in their driveways, in parks, in Airbnbs, on friends’ couches, or back with their families. Our community is dispersed.”

Mayor Doctor noted that city staff are now working six days a week to expedite permit issuance, and an engineering firm has been contracted to increase manpower.

For further details on post-hurricane recovery and rebuilding, residents can visit the city’s website here: https://www.mytreasureisland.org/news_detail_T13_R217.php.

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(Image credit: Spectrum News/Randy Levine)