TAMPA, Fla. — Four months have passed since Hurricane Milton caused damage throughout Tampa Bay, and some residents are still displaced and sleeping in hotels while paying mortgages for their damaged homes. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Tampa City Council unanimously approved $3.2 million in disaster relief funding for hurricane victims

  • Tampa officials say the city intends to allocate $10 million to ensure that all pumps are equipped with backup generators

  • $709 million has been promised in federal funding to the county for storm-related expenses

Relief is now available for some after the Tampa City Council unanimously approved $3.2 million in disaster relief funding for hurricane victims.

To be eligible for funds, residents must live within the Tampa city limits, and there are income requirements. While help may be on the way, many residents say they fear this may happen again

Kathy Kaestner says 19 inches of water seeped into her home during Hurricane Milton. 

“I didn’t expect the flooding, because I’m not in a flood area,” Kaestner said.

Four months later, Kaestner is still rebuilding the Forest Hills home she has lived in for more than 30 years. 

While Kaestner has returned to her home, she said other neighbors haven’t been as fortunate.

“There are a lot people around me that haven’t done anything because they are financially strapped,” she said.

Gwen Torres raised three generations in her home just down the block.

“We ended up selling the house at a loss just to cover the mortgage," Torres said. "I lived in a hotel for two months, lost everything."

Felix Figuerello’s parents lived in their West Park Estates home for 52 years before the Milton flooding.

“With the insurance issues, everybody is worried about that. What's next?" Figuerello said. "And the biggest worry is ... what if this happens again? If this happens to my parents again, they are done. They cannot go and get another (HELOC) Home Equity Loan.” 

The city and county have commissioned a flood study, and the results are expected before the start of the next hurricane season. County Commissioner Harry Cohen said they’ll be looking for recommendations to put into practice.

“We’re not always going to be able to prevent everything," Cohen said. "But we can always do better and be more resilient."

Tampa officials say the city intends to allocate $10 million to ensure that all pumps are equipped with backup generators. Viera said that the storms are making the issue of affordable housing worse. 

“You can’t afford to pay your house and then pay the rent at the new place, and the mortgage at the new place that you're on, and guess what that gives rise to?" Viera said. "People who are going to take advantage of that to buy these homes. That increases the cost of living in communities. What Commissioner Cohen and I are here to talk about is the plight that these folks are going through but also making sure we keep people in their homes."

In the next four to six weeks, public meetings will be held. $709 million has been promised in federal funding to the county for storm-related expenses.