flooding

While the state is offering to pay for about 75% of the elevation cost through federal grants, one resident questions how stable the funding from Washington really is.

Said one resident: "I've got a home here that's now not even sitting on its foundation correctly because of the water, and I don't know what to do."

Eileen Bicaba and her husband have faced severe flooding in North Miami since 2018, which they attribute to nearby development projects.

For the first time, a federal study calculated the risk from rising groundwater on a warming planet. South Florida represents the vast majority of that risk, with about 7.5 million people and $750 billion dollars in property under threat.

South Florida streets could be underwater this week, without a tropical storm or hurricane in sight.

There's still 3 feet of water blocking people from getting into one neighborhood in Pasco County. But some people are bracing to deal with what comes after the water recedes.

The storm tracked to the south in the final hours and made landfall Wednesday night in Siesta Key, about 70 miles south of Tampa.

A storm surge as high as 12 feet is forecast for Tampa Bay and up to 15 feet for points farther south between Sarasota and Fort Myers as Hurricane Milton churns closer to the west coast of Florida.

Milton is a dangerous Category 5 hurricane. Floridians need to finalize preps by Wednesday.

Starting Oct. 1, people who sell their home must disclose to buyers if they’ve ever filed a flood insurance claim or received federal assistance related to flood damage. It currently applies to homeowners and excludes landlords.

Across Florida, landlord-tenant disputes are being exacerbated by disastrous storms like Hurricane Helene. Experts say state law tends to favor the landlords.

The law expands disclosures on a property’s flood risk, and experts say it’s a step toward more transparency in the market.