PENSACOLA, Fla. — It’s been five and a half years since Hurricane Sally hit the Gulf Coast.
Now, the City of Pensacola is looking at a new program aimed at helping homeowners still recovering.
Pensacola resident Dr. Gloria Horning has seen her fair share of floods and hurricanes since she moved downtown in 2016.
Hurricane Sally was one of those storms.
“It was 96 hours after Sally before I could even get to this gate,” Dr. Horning said. “Every time we have rain, my PTSD goes off the charts. I’ve lost three cars; it’s horrifying.”
Next week, Pensacola City Council members are set to discuss a plan to reallocate community development block grant disaster recovery funds to the Rebuild Florida voluntary home buyout program.
According to documents from the city, they’re looking at shifting $1 million to this citywide initiative.
If passed, it could allow residents like Horning to move out of flood-prone areas, relocating outside the threat of flooding.
But not everyone would qualify for this program.
“We got to go, buy these people out, and buy me out,” Dr. Horning said. “I should be top on the list, and I’ll be happy to go.”
Chris Curb with Flood Defenders Panhandle says in Escambia County there are currently 49 homes taking part in other buyout programs.
He believes more needs to be done to help those impacted.
“Hurricane Sally was five and a half years ago, and they still haven’t done anything?” Curb said. “That’s not good government, and I should know; I’ve worked in Escambia County for 25 years in the engineering department.”
“If you are removing the hazard, which is the home that continues to flood and continues to cost taxpayers money because the flood insurance doesn’t cover that, that’s a public good,” he added.
If this buyout program is approved by the city council on March 26, the City of Pensacola Housing Department will move forward with the environmental review process, program design, and other steps before its implementation.