PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — The deadline to appeal substantial damage designations is quickly approaching for residents who had their homes take on water in last year’s back-to-back hurricanes.

Initially, Pinellas County told affected residents they had until October 31 to appeal if they received a substantial damage letter stating that their home did not meet the FEMA 50% rule. In the letter, homes that did not meet the cost-to-value ratio threshold required, were given the option to tear down, rebuild, lift their existing home, or move out of community entirely.

John Carkeet, Public Information Coordinator for Pinellas County, says the county is no longer enforcing the October 31 deadline and will continue to work through the appeals process with affected residents.

What You Need To Know

118 residents at Gateway Mobile Home Community still have substantial damage determination

Pinellas County says they will still take appeals after initial October 31 deadline

Approximately 70% of block or wood frame homes that filed a reassessment were reversed to not substantially damaged

Depreciated value of older mobile homes makes appeal harder 

“October 31 is not a hard deadline,” Carkeet wrote. “Some earlier letters referenced that date, but current and future communications no longer do. The County continues to accept and review appeals, and it will keep working with affected residents and mobile home park communities. We strongly encourage residents to submit appeals and supporting documents as soon as practical.”

Kerry Rumple has owned her home at the Gateway Mobile Home Park off 4th Street in Pinellas County for the last 8 years. She says during the hurricanes, there was puddling on her floors but none of her appliances, furniture, cabinets or electrical system was affected.

She thought at the time that she was one of the lucky ones.

“I don’t even have water lines on my walls or my baseboards,” she said. “So there’s no reason that my home would be unsafe.”

Rumple says a remediation company came after she dried out the floors and they replaced the vapor barrier and damaged pieces. Months after making the floor repairs, she said she received the substantial damage letter starting that her home did not meet the 49% cost-to-value ratio threshold.

“It’s a 1963, so they say it has no value,” Rumple said. “But my home is not damaged, it’s safe. It’s my home.”

Rumple has been working through the appeals process and stated her case before a special magistrate. She’s waiting for the final ruling.

If the county does not honor the appeal, Rumple will need to tear down or leave her home by June of next year.

In all, Carkeet says approximately 1,000 homes have a determination of substantial damage in unincorporated Pinellas County. About 80% of them are manufactured/mobile homes.  

“The reassessment process has shown to be an effective step for a homeowner to pursue the reversal of the initial SD determination.  Approximately 70% of SF homes (block or wood frame) that filed a reassessment were reversed to not substantially damaged.  Manufactured and mobile homes face greater challenges because their values are typically low, largely due to age-related depreciation,” Carkeet said in a written statement. “There were mobile homes that took on water in the living space that were not deemed substantially damaged.  The age of the structure is typically the key determining factor.  Pinellas County has a large percentage of mobile homes from the 1960’s and 1970’s.  The depreciated value for older (50+ years) mobile homes will have a market value where a limited scope of work to repair damages can result in exceeding the 49% threshold.”

Darna Lopez, who manages Gateway Mobile Home Park, says she feels the county is using understated home values with high-cost repair expenses in their projections. She hopes they will take another look at the homes that received minimal damage.

“We want to work with the county to see if there are maybe inspections they can do to see that they’re viable, to see how many people we can help through this process so they can live stress-free,” she said.

Carkeet encourages anyone wishing to appeal their substantial damage designation to begin the process through the county.