PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Timeshare owners in Pinellas County are seeking help from 8 On Your Side, claiming they’ve received insufficient answers about their concerns.

The Nautical Watch was damaged during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and they said there’s been little progress made in the year since.

This is Lily Esposito’s slice of paradise along Belleair Beach.

“See this, Captain Martin is the only one that survived the hurricane,” she said.

It’s where she’s celebrated anniversaries and her children’s birthdays.

“I have so many cherished memories here with my kids, and I was really looking forward to my kids eventually sharing experiences with their own families. I get emotional just thinking about it,” Esposito expressed.

The timeshare community was deemed “substantially damaged.”

“You can see it’s been completely gutted; nothing has been done,” she said.

Esposito is questioning why.

“It’s sad to see our getaway spot, our little paradise, still in the same state it was a year ago, with no progress made,” Esposito added. “In fact, it appears to be deteriorating daily.”

Between Esposito and her mom’s four weeks, they continue to pay about $4,000 annually.

“We are paying into something that we don’t know what or if ever will be able to be rebuild,” Esposito said.      

Kyle Riefler, the Belleair Beach City Manager, informed 8 On Your Side that “the plan is to repair the existing property,” but noted that “no permit has been issued.” Esposito alleged that the board is giving over 400 owners a different narrative.

“Our elected board of directors informed us that roof permits were indeed secured,” Esposito said. “There’s a lot of conflicting information, and we just want clarity.”

The fractional owners elected board members under the management of Vacatia.

In a statement to 8 On Your Side, Torey Marcus, Vice President of Marketing at Vacatia wrote:

The board and Vacatia have been collaborating extensively to maximize insurance proceeds over the past year. Throughout this prolonged process, we have partnered with the board to keep all Nautical Watch owners informed about progress. We’ve also been working with the city of Belleair Beach since the direct aftermath of the two hurricanes. We sought a third-party appraisal; after discussions, all parties agreed on the valuation. Now that we have an approved appraisal, we’re progressing towards reconciling the reconstruction costs, the appraisal, and the FEMA 50% substantial damage hurdles. On October 7, after obtaining the correct permitting for a roof repair, the city lifted a temporary stop-work order.

“They are our voices, which is so disappointing because we don’t feel our voices have been heard,” Esposito said.

Esposito said the board and Vacatia haven’t provided communication, transparency, or a timeline.

“Unfortunately, while we have attempted to obtain grants, our efforts have proved unsuccessful,” Marcus continued to write. “The board is working to secure other financing in order to move forward with restoration; once we have done so, construction is expected to take approximately four months. While the resort remains closed, owners are required to pay their annual maintenance fees, per FL statute 721.15 (2B) b).”

“I’m just hoping that we can get some answers,” Esposito said.