Due to significant delays in the post-hurricane permit granting process, St. Pete Beach residents and business owners are expressing their intense anger at city hall. Yesterday, a sizable contingent of local residents marched to the city council meeting to call for action and a speedier response to their expanding needs. According to WFLA, this delay is preventing many from starting reconstruction work on damaged properties at this time.
“I live on the island,” Jill Mederos, a local who is struggling to make ends meet while also paying a mortgage and rent, told ABC Action News. I have to accept that I will not be able to reconstruct my house. During the city hall event, when people revealed their personal and financial hardships as a result of the permission gridlock, several speakers mirrored this sentiment. Only approximately 100 permits have been issued since October 1 out of over 1,048 requests, falling well short of the city’s stated goal of processing 75 permits every day.
Entrepreneurs such as Matthew Vario are also experiencing stress. “I own four companies spread around the beaches. I employ more than 200 people. More than half of them are currently unemployed,” Vario clarified in a WTSP article. The sluggish response from the local government makes rehabilitation even more difficult, despite the obvious emotional and financial costs. Marc Portugal, a city spokesperson, confirmed that 11 of the 18 additional staff members needed for the permission process had been accounted for, indicating that the city has taken some attempts to address the backlog.
Denise Sanderson, the city’s director of community development, pointed out several changes to facilitate the process, especially a new FEMA packet that is anticipated to eliminate the 10% contingency clause in accordance with WFLA. According to Sanderson, this implies that “an owner, builder or contractor through change orders could indeed exceed a 50% calculation and any investment made into that home or business if you will would be subject to demolition and lifting.”
Homeowners expressed their desperate need for action throughout the conflicts at city hall, hoping to restore not just their past lives but also some measure of them. “I’m at a loss for what to do. All I want is my father’s house back. According to WTSP, one homeowner complained during the meeting, “It’s not a lot some flooring, drywall, cabinets.” For individuals impacted by the recent storms and the permit delays, the frustration increases daily along with the expenses and difficulties.
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