Pasco County residents gathered Monday night for the first in a series of public meetings to discuss how to allocate millions in federal hurricane relief funds — with housing emerging as the community’s top concern.

The meeting, held at the J. Ben Harrill Recreation Complex, was part of the county’s outreach effort to involve the public in shaping how the recovery dollars will be spent.

“I think this has definitely been the hardest hit that Pasco has had,” said Marcy Esbjerg, senior program administrator with the Office of Disaster Recovery.

Esbjerg reported that Hurricanes Idalia, Helene, and Milton destroyed 800 homes and damaged more than 7,600 others across the county. One of those damaged homes belongs to Stacey Van Schenk, a lifelong Tampa Bay resident.

“I’ve never in my life experienced anything like this,” Van Schenk said. “The gulf took over our neighborhood during Helene — my neighbor’s dock ended up on top of mine, and my home was flooded with three feet of storm surge.”

Her ground floor was gutted, the structure severely damaged. Without flood insurance, she said she’s been left navigating a frustrating process with FEMA.

“My house is literally settling. I need to do remediation, but I can’t get anywhere,” she said. “I came tonight to find out if there’s any help available through this funding. Is it a grant? A loan? Do I have to pay it back? I’ll work hard to pay it back — I just need the help.”

Esbjerg said hearing directly from storm victims like Van Schenk is essential in developing an action plan that addresses “unmet needs” — expenses not covered by insurance, FEMA, or other sources.

Mollyanna Ward, a member of the Florida Realtors’ task force on affordable and workforce housing, also attended. She emphasized that the hurricanes only worsened an existing housing crisis.

“We already had a 60% shortage in workforce housing,” Ward said. “Now, with interest rates, regulations, and storm damage, the need is even greater.”

Affordable housing is one potential use for the relief funds, along with business loans, grants, and infrastructure repairs.

County officials are asking residents for patience as they finalize program details, which are expected to be announced in the coming months.

For Van Schenk, recovery is a slow and emotional journey.

“I know material things can be replaced — lives can’t,” she said. “I just want my house safe again.”

Under federal guidelines, 70% of the hurricane recovery funds must go toward low- to moderate-income households or neighborhoods. However, that still leaves $175 million available for other residents.

Upcoming meetings for public input are scheduled as follows:

• Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m. – Hudson Regional Library, 8012 Library Rd., Hudson
• Monday, April 21 at 6 p.m. – Moore-Mickens Education Center, 38301 Martin Luther King Blvd., Dade City
• Virtual Meeting: Wednesday, May 1

Residents can also share input via an online survey or by emailing BetterFuture@mypasco.net.

Follow the St. Pete-Clearwater Sun on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Google, & X

(Image credit: Anna Maria Island Sun)

PIE-Sun.com: local St. Pete-Clearwater news