Unincorporated residents can view substantial damage letters online
As Pinellas County continues to press forward with initial substantial damage assessments, a new online tool allows unincorporated residents to download their letter as soon as it is completed.
The County has also launched a new text update system to notify homeowners about opportunities to apply for millions in federal, state and local financial help expected to become available in the coming months for those working to rebuild or elevate their home. Residents can be notified about millions in upcoming financial assistance by texting “RECOVER” to 888777.
Online Substantial Damage Assessment Tool
The County has mailed more than 1,600 initial substantial damage assessment letters to unincorporated homes. The letters are mailed to the mailing address listed in the Pinellas County Property Appraiser records. The new online tool only shows properties whose initial assessment has been completed. The County is still in the process of completing initial assessments on the remaining impacted properties in the unincorporated areas, which will appear on the tool. Letters will be issued via mail once completed in the coming weeks.
Initial Substantial Damage Assessment Online Tool
An initial substantial damage assessment involves an inspection of homes (exterior and interior when made available) in the County’s flood hazard area, including documentation on the depth of flooding. The FEMA estimator tool is used to determine the percent damages to various components of the home to estimate the cost of repairs compared to the home’s value to determine if the repairs exceed 49 percent of the home’s value.
A substantial damage determination means the cost to repair a home in the flood hazard area is estimated to exceed 49 percent of that home’s value (excluding land), so it must be elevated or rebuilt to meet current flood safety standards.
The initial substantial damage determination letter includes instructions for homeowners to pursue a reassessment which is a more detailed assessment methodology than the initial assessment. More information on this process is posted online at: pinellas.gov/sdsi.
The County also continues to issue permits for storm-damaged homes with minor repairs, with more than 1,500 storm-related permits issued to date.
Stay in the loop on millions in new recovery programs
The State of Florida anticipates more than $400 million to become available in the coming months for homeowners looking to rebuild or elevate their flood-damaged homes.
Based on past similar experiences of other Florida communities, it may take many months or even years for these programs to be fully implemented, but applications are expected to open soon, including the County’s Hurricane Home Repair Program and Elevate Florida.
Residents can stay informed about all new programs available in Pinellas County by texting RECOVER to 888777 for regular updates or visit disaster.pinellas.gov.
Details about the County’s Home Repair Program application will be announced on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.