FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla — It’s been three years since Hurricane Ian slammed Fort Myers Beach, and destroyed homes and buildings are still scattered across the island.
Fox 4’s Fort Myers Beach Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski works in the area every day and passes by these places too, so he wanted to get an update on what’s being done to remove them.
Watch to hear what the town said is being done about homes and why it matters to people living here:
Many of the buildings hold a lot of happy memories for families. For others, it’s a different kind of feeling.
“Wow. There’s still a lot of damage here. They’re still rebuilding the pier, there’s sand coming in and out. It looks like the hurricane just happened,” one visitor said.
Now, they’re shells - a reminder of Ian’s wrath. “It’s hurting the draw, as far as people coming down,” another visitor said.
As of July, FEMA says there are 252 derelict or non-compliant buildings on the island. “Non-compliant” means a home or building damaged by more than 50% of its value that wasn’t rebuilt to current flood standards.
Despite the damaged buildings, others believe the charm still shines through. “It’s a beautiful island. You know, it went through a lot and I hope people come back and help build it back up,” said another visitor.
Town Manager William McKannay says clearing these structures is a top priority. “We’re trying to get as many of those back to compliant status as we can and get those that can’t be compliant removed from the island as soon as possible,” McKannay said.
And it’s not just about looks. FEMA says many of these buildings can be dangerous in another hurricane or storm surge because they weren’t built to flood standards and can break apart or float away.
McKannay says removing that hazard could also save people money as the town fights to get its FEMA insurance discount back.
“It allows residents of Fort Myers Beach, property owners of Fort Myers Beach, to potentially get an insurance reduction discount on their flood insurance if our own is a compliant municipality,” McKannay explained.
The town says the goal is late October to fix or remove the structures after FEMA gave them a 60-day extension.
