GULFPORT, Fla. — Many Gulfport residents are taking another step forward in getting back into hurricane damaged homes.
In accordance with FEMA regulations, the city is issuing “minor repair” permits to help property owners make their homes liveable, even though they may still be waiting on permits from major repairs and rebuilding.
Pinellas County will launch a similar program and start accepting applications for minor repair permits on Monday.
There are three types of minor repair permits: they can be used to repair electrical work, HVAC or heating and air conditioning, and plumbing.
One resident says she feels more connected after making these repairs.
Still haunted by Hurricane Helene, Barbara Banno says it hurts when she walks what’s left of her Gulfport home.
“The most devastating thing that you could even ever imagine,” she said. “It’s still just a nightmare that haunts me every day. Good days and bad days. And so, one day, my neighbor might cry to me and then I cry to her. So, even though we’re on our property, it’s still a very traumatic experience.”
A shared pain among neighbors, visible throughout the city of Gulfport.
Hurricane damaged homes and businesses boarded up with tarps of the roof, while waiting for Substantial Damage Estimate letters and permits to build.
“Until we get that letter, we don’t know. We don’t know whether we’re going to rebuild, or if we have to improve our house to meet FEMA regulations. So, there’s this fear of unknown to what we’re going through and we’re experiencing,” said Banno.
Even with some of her personal belongings stacked up on the lanai, or locked up in a storage unit, she’s thankful for the minor repair permit.
“The electrical on the water heater alone is a huge safety issue, because those are what is going to prevent any kind of fires or additional damage to the house,” Banno said. “And, you know, there are people all throughout the community that are living in their house. And these small, little steps might allow them that opportunity to kind of make their house a little bit livable.”
Because of the minor repair permit, Banno says she’s able to spend more time in her home and stay connected to her community.
“It gives us this huge sense of security to be on our property, but also to be around the neighbors, and we’re all going through the same thing, so we all can sympathize with each other,” she said.
The city of Gulfport’s building department is reviewing dozens of these minor repair permits with the goal of bridging the gap and making homes liveable in the short term.
As for the major repairs and plans for rebuilding, Gulfport city leaders said that nearly 200 permits are currently under review by the building department, and more than 200 Substantial Damage letters have been sent to property owners.