HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Almost a year after Hurricane Milton tore through Hillsborough County, local officials are working to improve their preparedness for future disasters.
They're asking residents who lived through the flooding and damage to share their stories: the good, the bad, and everything in between.
"Basically, we're looking for community input on things that they experienced. That helps us write a better plan," said C.K. Moore from the Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management.
WATCH: A year after Milton, Hillsborough County turns to storm survivors for disaster prep advice
The county wants to create what it’s calling a Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan. According to Moore, it will serve as a playbook for recovering more quickly after hurricanes and other disasters, with strategies to rebuild homes, businesses, and neighborhoods while mitigating future risks.
"It's a plan on how we build back better," Moore said.
At a workshop on Wednesday night, county experts sat down with residents to discuss some tough questions: Where will people live when their homes are destroyed? How do we rebuild smarter? How do we make communities stronger before the next storm hits?
One big challenge they're wrestling with? Finding enough affordable housing for families who are displaced.
"That's another thing that we're working on as well is trying to make sure that we have a good inventory of affordable housing for the individuals that need it," Moore said.
For people like Savannah Caldwell, this conversation hits close to home. Her Town 'N' Country rental in Milton flooded knee-deep, wiping out the family's cars and forcing everyone to evacuate.
She just moved back to her home this past weekend after spending a full year in temporary housing and cramped living situations.
"It was just three bedrooms, nine people living in it, and two dogs, so it was quite cramped," she said. "It was a really crappy place to be."
But not everyone at the workshop was overly impressed with the county's approach. Hal Sparks, whose Carrollwood home also flooded, was frustrated that water management officials weren't in the room.
"I thought it was ridiculous that they didn't have anyone here from SWFWMD or the Water Management District," he said.
He thinks overdevelopment and a lack of sufficient infrastructure caused the flooding in his neighborhood and others during Milton.
"It was widespread," Sparks said. "I don't want this to happen again. I don't want it to happen to me. I don't want it to happen to my next door neighbor that's selling her house, but a new neighbor's going to move in," Sparks said.
County officials acknowledged the ongoing infrastructure challenges, including the maintenance of hundreds of pump stations throughout the area.
"It's an ongoing process. We have over 900 pumps — lift stations — in this county," Moore said.
The county plans to utilize everything it heard at the workshop to develop more effective disaster plans in preparation for a future disaster.
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Chad Mills calls Polk County home and has witnessed the area’s growth firsthand. He keeps his eye on the City of Lakeland, our agriculture community, and helping you navigate everyday expenses. Use the form below to share your story ideas with Chad.
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