Sarasota County residents struggle without FEMA assistance one year after Hurricane Ian

SARASOTA, Fla. - In one hour alone Hurricane Ian brought 18 inches of rain to Venice nearly one year ago.

"This storm parked over us for a number of hours and dumped an extensive amount of rain," said Rich Collins, Sarasota County’s Emergency Services Director.

Ian caused flooding and forced people from their homes.

Sarasota County residents want more assistance one year after Hurricane Ian. 

"A year later Hurricane Ian is not gone, it is not over. There are still people struggling to get work done on their home, still working through their insurance agencies to get work done and through this process Sarasota County has done everything to try to work with FEMA to get the support for our residents," said Collins.

READ: Aftermath of Hurricane Ian 1 year later, North Port residents rebuild

Sarasota County said around 150 residents are still living in some sort of state or FEMA supplied housing. There are others who are barely making it by.

"My house is still inhabitable it has even yet to start repairs because my insurance company won’t approve it at all and FEMA did very little to help me, I’m paying an exorbitant amount of rent just to survive, I’ve lost a year of equity in my home. I’m barely making it. I could be homeless in the future," shared Carrie Smith.

Carrie Smith’s home in South Venice along the Myakka River remains empty. Flooding destroyed everything she owned.

She said FEMA denied her for housing and additional assistance.

The storm cost in the county one year ago was around $163 million dollars.

"I have reached out to DeSantis, Marco Rubio, Steube to no avail, they have not returned my calls or emails and all I’m asking is for FEMA to help me a little bit more. They actually gave me $4,400 in rent relief. That does not even pay two months and that was eight months ago. Other than that they’ve done nothing," she said.

A caseworker with the Salvation Army is trying to help.

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"If it wasn’t for salvation army, I wouldn’t be here. But there’s only so much they can do," she explained.

Smith has homeowners and flood insurance. The settlement offered by People’s Trust Insurance was much lower than the damage she received.

She now pays for rent and for a mortgage on a home she can’t even live in.

"I work as much as I can, and I go with nothing at all," she said.