TAMPA, Fla. — Several homes in the Tampa Bay area suffered from flood damage after this latest storm, particularly those homes closer to the water. But there is a possible solution to prevent that from happening again and it includes raising homes off the ground, above sea level.
It’s a complicated process, but many homeowners are considering the option, especially after Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie gave a reminder last week about a funding source for it.
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and its Flood Mitigation Assistance Program both offer assistance for homeowners who want to raise their homes. For the programs, homeowners pay out of pocket and are later reimbursed.
Phillip Ragan and his wife, Mary Barker, said they’ve had the idea to raise their home for more than 20 years. Barker said the decision to go forward with the plan and build-up came after a serious case of flooding fatigue.
“To watch the water come over the seawall and fill up our swimming pool, come into our lanai, come under the door, and the pan collecting my water floated away as the water continued to come into the house, I said, ‘Never again.’ I never want to go through this again,” Barker said.
For Barker, the final straw was in 2021. She said searching for a company to do the job was a task in itself, but getting help to pay for it through programs like FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program or their Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, was harder than raising a house.
“Back in 2020, I spent probably three weeks at least every day on the telephone calling numbers, going to their website, getting the literature on the elevation and mitigation and all of this stuff,” she said. “And after hours and hours and being transferred and being put on hold, you just don’t get anywhere.”
So, the couple is shelling out about $400,000 of their own money to raise their home. The construction project has been underway for years. Barker said it was cheaper than tearing down their dream home and building a new one.
There is money available, but the best way to get it is going to be a process that the city, county, and the state will have to help you with. Will it be as tedious as what this couple went through? Possibly. FEMA officials confirm this is a lengthy process, but with the proper steps taken, that money could be helpful.