MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Tensions ran high at a meeting hosted by Manatee County ton Wednesday as residents prepare to rebuild their homes after recent storms.

What You Need To Know

  • Cortez residents sustained damages from both hurricanes; residents wanted answers to their questions, so Manatee County officials hosted a meeting. 

  • One issue many are upset about is FEMA’s "50 percent rule," which only applies to structures built before or during 1974.

  • Many people are left with the tough decision on what to do with their home.

County officials reminded them of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regulations they must follow.

“Water came up about 3 feet.”

Chris Northrop said that's how much water flooded his home. Many of his neighbors at Sunny Shores Trailer Park in Cortez tell a similar story.

“Milton came in and the wind damage matched the flood damage. So it just kind of took, took some of the roofs off the carport roof,” Northrop said.

With so much damage, Cortez residents wanted answers. The county hosted a meeting to educate people about the steps they should take after a storm.

One issue many are upset about is FEMA’s "50 percent rule", which only applies to structures built before or during 1974.

Cheryl Bagby, the floodplain management coordinator for Manatee County, explained how the rule works.

“If you sustained damage and the cost to bring your home back meets or exceeds 50% of the structure’s value, then the entire structure has to come up to current flood compliance, which includes elevating the structure,” she said.

For Northrop and his wife Dawn, this is bad news.

“Our home has been valued at a devaluation price, in our opinion, at $112,000. That means we have to cut down half, and we are only able to spend $56,000 to repair our entire house. If we go $1 over, we are now out of compliance with the 50/50 rule that FEMA and Manatee County has in place,” she said.

The couple says they have two options if they go over 50 percent of their market value.

“We either raise it, or we let it rot. They have locked our ability to take out any permits to rebuild until we spend upwards of $100,000 to do soil testing, engineering, and architectural records and get our house elevated,” she said.

Now, like so many others, the Northrops are faced with a tough decision on what to do with their home.

County officials say there will be more meetings like this in the future.