WESTCHASE, Fla. — The construction in front of Valerie Sullivan's Westchase house is a welcomed sight.
"I'm actually feeling great about it," Sullivan said.
WATCH: Hillsborough County crews working 6 days a week to improve stormwater drainage
She remained at home during Hurricane Helene, but the neighborhood flooding she saw was enough to make her evacuate before Milton.
"During the storms, the water was literally up to my driveway, probably halfway through the whole end of the street here was flooded."
Stormwater management improvements are actively being made throughout the county, including Sullivan's neighborhood.
The ongoing restoration work is part of a larger effort by Hillsborough County Public Works aimed at mitigating flooding risks throughout the area.
Josh Bellotti, the Director of Engineering and Operations for Hillsborough County Public Works, explained what's happening right in front of Sullivan's yard.
"We're watching one of our pipe crews replace a side drain and do some ditch restoration here to help restore stormwater flow in this community," he said.
Bellotti emphasized the importance of these efforts, particularly in light of last year’s heavy rains that strained the county’s stormwater systems.
"The historic rainfall completely overwhelmed our system," he said. "We had a lot of impacts, a lot of damage to some of the stormwater infrastructure." He added that his teams have worked diligently since October, with ongoing maintenance and preparation for the current hurricane season.
In addition to addressing specific drain issues, Bellotti says county crews have conducted over 350 inspections of stormwater infrastructures and have cleared more than 150 miles of ditches and pipes to ensure proper drainage.
"Residents can reach out to us if they have concerns about drainage issues," he advised, encouraging community engagement in maintaining neighborhood safety.
Sullivan expressed her relief about the changes being made, particularly the upgrade to newer aluminum materials designed to withstand the harsh conditions typically faced by local stormwater systems.
"It's given me a big peace of mind," she remarked. "This makes me feel a little bit better about hurricane season... It’s better than what was there before."
As work continues in the Westchase area, residents and officials alike are hopeful that these improvements will enhance the neighborhood's resilience to future weather events, providing a sense of safety this hurricane season.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
