The creators of a new documentary say too many Tampa Bay homebuyers suffer from what they call “hurricane amnesia” — forgetting past storms when shopping for waterfront views and desirable neighborhoods.

Filmmaker and former weatherman George Siegal hopes his film Built to Last, Buyer Beware pushes buyers to ask tougher questions about flood risks, storm history, and building materials before closing on a home.

“Most people walking down Bayshore Boulevard are focused on the view,” Siegal told Spectrum News. “But where we’re standing would’ve been under 26 feet of water. That trauma center would be gone. That bridge would be gone.”

Siegal said Tampa Bay residents live with a “false sense of security” because the region often seems to avoid direct hurricane hits — until last year’s storms changed the narrative.

His filmmaking partner, Aris Papadopoulos, chair of the Resilience Action Fund, studied housing sales after Hurricane Milton. His research found that 36 homes in St. Petersburg’s flood-prone Shore Acres neighborhood sold for an average of 35% less — about $140,000 — in the five months after the storm compared to what owners originally paid.

Papadopoulos contrasted Shore Acres with nearby Disston Heights, a higher-elevation neighborhood where home values held steady.

Both filmmakers say they want their documentary and the supporting research to serve as a wake-up call for anyone buying or building in hurricane zones.

“Become your own detective,” Siegal said. “Ask questions. If a builder doesn’t want to answer them, that’s your red flag.”

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(Image credit: Built to Last, Buyer Beware website)

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