PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene brought widespread flooding to Gulfport, many residents are still rebuilding their lives and homes. While some have returned, others are still displaced, facing ongoing repairs and fears of future storms.
Now the City of Gulfport is taking steps to address long-term flooding concerns. Officials are finalizing a Watershed Management Plan aimed at protecting low-lying areas and preventing similar flooding in the future.
Recovery has been long and hard for long-time resident, Martha Bass.
WATCH: Gulfport looks ahead to new plan to prevent flooding as community still recovers from Helene
“The water came up and then it came up in the front door,” Martha said.
Her home flooded during Hurricane Helene, and she still has not been able to move back in. She said she’s been living with a friend for the last year and is juggling repair costs, storage fees, and her mortgage.
Not far from Bass’s damaged home, Megan Zaudtke is in a different situation. She bought her bright blue home right before Helene. She said she is thankful it was built on stilts.
“If you look at the columns, there are 3 or 4 feet of standing water. So if it wasn’t raised, I’m sure everything would have been gone,” Zaudtke said.
She said more of her neighbors are considering elevating their homes to avoid future flood damage. Zaudtke said she hopes Gulfport keeps its charm as more homes are built up.
"I love the houses, it's so colorful and it's just happy and I hope all the houses that get built up stay with that vibe," Zaudtke said.
The city of Gulfport is now in the final phase of its Watershed Master Plan. Officials tell Tampa Bay 28 the goal is to make the community more resilient against future storms and flooding.
“Not only Helene and Milton, but then we had two-hundred-year rain events just 3 weeks ago, which brought a lot of water onto the city. It’s a peak concern,” Tom Nicholls, the public works director, said.
The plan is set to go in front of the city council at the end of this year.
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