INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. — People around Tampa Bay have been dealing with FEMA for months following last year’s hurricanes. When it comes to major changes or possibly doing away with the agency, which President Donald Trump mentioned on Friday, residents of hard-hit Indian Rocks Beach who Spectrum News spoke with had mixed opinions.

What You Need To Know

  • Indian Rocks Beach was hit hard by flooding during Hurricane Helene

  • One homeowner tells us he doesn't want to see the agency disbanded and thinks that could cause differences among states with how regulations are enforced

  • Another resident said change is needed to cut down on the levels of bureaucracy people have to navigate when trying to access FEMA aid

  • An assistant professor with USF's School of Public Affairs says a major overhaul is possible but abolishing FEMA is something Congress would have to take action on

“Water was to here,” said Dennie Eaves, pointing to just above the doorknob of his home on East Gulf Boulevard.

Forty-one inches of storm surge destroyed Eaves’ home of 34 years during Hurricane Helene in September.

“This was the kitchen,” Eaves said, walking into the gutted room.

Since Helene, he and his wife, Debbie, said they bounced around to four different temporary homes. They’re back on their property now, but in different quarters than usual.

“We inquired about getting a FEMA trailer and were told they weren’t available. As a last resort, we went and found an old, used motor home that we could park in our driveway until we can continue getting things fixed for our house,” said Eaves.

Then Friday, they received a call from the agency. 

“Hey, this is Jacqueline calling on behalf of FEMA in regards to temporary housing for a mobile home or travel trailer,” states a voicemail message Eaves played on his phone.

The Eaves said this isn’t the first time FEMA called, but last time was also after they bought the trailer.

“It’s crazy. It’s so late,” Eaves said.

A few blocks down the street, Mike Desrosiers is living in a camper he got just before Helene. He said repairs finally got started on his home and rental property.

“The electrical started this week,” Desrosiers said. “Once the electrical is completed, then the insulation and drywall would be next.”

Desrosiers said he didn’t apply for FEMA aid but did get $750 from the agency’s serious needs assistance. He said FEMA also helped some of his neighbors who had no place to go.

“I know a few people personally that they’re still living in vacation rentals and apartments that were empty on the beach here. They stayed in the area, and that was all due to help from FEMA,” he said.

Ratna Dougherty, an assistant professor with the University of South Florida School of Public Affairs, said a large scale overhaul of a federal agency is absolutely possible.

“We’ve seen that happen before. You know, after 9/11 in 2001, we did see the creation of the DHS. We saw a lot of agencies being placed under DHS,” Dougherty said.

But she said getting rid of FEMA altogether isn’t something the president could do on his own.

“Abolishing a federal agency would require congressional support,” she said. “That’s one of the great things about being in a democratic nation like ours is you can’t just have one singular office make that decision.”

Desrosiers said he doesn’t want to see FEMA disbanded and wonders how regulations will be enforced among or even within states.

“It’s going to be all over the map,” he said. “There won’t be no consistency from one place to another.”

But Eaves is ready for a change.

“Something needs to happen. The bureaucracy that’s been going on for the last — how many years? It’s crazy,” he said.

Dougherty said if FEMA is abolished, there are a lot of details to consider. That includes what’s going to happen to programs within FEMA that have already promised funding to individuals and groups. She said the agency also provides education and training, and these could all be responsibilities the states would have to figure out how to take on.

Florida lawmakers have been talking about FEMA reform for months. Congressman Byron Donalds told Spectrum News he’d like to see the agency come out from under the Department of Homeland Security umbrella and become a standalone agency. Rep. Laurel Lee has said she thinks that’s something that should be discussed as one way to improve service from FEMA. 

FEMA did not return requests for comment for this story.