Clearwater apartment complex residents' forced to leave after extensive damage from Hurricane Milton

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Residents at The Standard Apartments in Clearwater are being forced to leave for the second time in two weeks due to the damage from Hurricane Milton.

First responders rescued more than 500 people from the complex off of Drew Street after the storm. The water was neck deep, but there weren’t any serious injuries.

Now, management there said about half of the units aren’t safe to live in. The complex has 456 units total and according to the regional manager, residents in 225 of them were told they had to vacate by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

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Management is, however, working with residents on a case-by-case basis because, the regional manager said, they realize many still need time to move out and time for FEMA to evaluate their units. They hope to have most moved by the end of the week, and said they want to try to start ripping out the drywall and electrical work as soon as possible to avoid more damage.

"It was surreal, to say the least," Joanna Greenfield, one of the complex's residents, said about Hurricane Milton. "We had seen flooding before, but nothing to this extent. So, I mean, it was, I want to say it was almost traumatic, and it's been traumatic for the boys. We’ve noticed in the last two weeks, some of the changes that they've gone through, and, I mean, they're not handling it well."

Greenfield, her husband and their two young boys are some of the hundreds of residents that now have to move. 

"We were told on Friday that our building sustained too much damage and that even though we're second floor, we had to get out. And then Saturday, we were told that because we were told to get out, that we have until Tuesday, today, at 5 p.m. to get out," Greenfield said.

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"We did not get everything out. I let them know that we'll have everything out by Saturday because with my husband going back to work, my kids going back to school, I can't go to work. I have to do this," she said. "I have to be the one to move everything. And not only that, but just like we're in a hotel now, but we're out tomorrow, and … we just got approved for FEMA, the lodging. So, I had all day today. That's all I've done is tried to find proper lodging."

Management said they’re refunding security deposits for those who have to vacate and are prorating this month’s rent. They said, though, it could take a couple of weeks before residents see those checks. That’s money Greenfield said she needs now.

"The hotel, we paid for this out-of-pocket, but it’s bill money. Now, those bills won’t get paid," she said.

Management also said they have three properties in Tampa that affected residents can transfer to. Right now, they believe they’ll have enough space to accommodate everyone. Many displaced, however, like Greenfield and her family, also lost their cars and can’t afford to move across the bridge when school and work are in the Clearwater area.

"We really don’t know how to navigate this or what we’re going to do," she said.

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