State Senator Clay Yarborough is calling for action after seeing firsthand the failures of a program meant to help hurricane victims.
ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — Even though eight years have passed since Hurricane Irma hit Florida, several families still reside in homes with damage, awaiting assistance from the Rebuild Florida program that was promised by the state.
“The crucial point for me is that I can’t allow this situation to persist in the manner we’re witnessing, regardless if it’s regular state funds or HUD funds, or any form of taxpayer money, whether from Rebuild or HUD or any other source,” stated State Senator Clay Yarborough. “This situation is unacceptable.”
We invited Yarborough, who represents part of the First Coast, to accompany us on a tour of Christopher Corson’s home in Atlantic Beach to observe the issues directly.
“You can smell the mold and everything here because it seeps in underneath and accumulates under the cabinets,” Corson noted. “You can see up there, I think it’s still leaking as that spot is growing larger.”
From his kitchen to his bedrooms he pointed out the problems he’s been dealing with for years.
“Water comes in. We’ve seen it come right up to the floor,” Corson explained. “It also leaks out this way and back over into the closet.”
Corson’s home was damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017. As the years have gone by he says many of the problems have only gotten worse.
“This room never had leaks before they did all the groundwork,” Corson added. “The water pours in, and we have to use a wet vac to remove it and wipe down the walls to try to prevent mold growth.”
Corson is one of dozens of homeowners across the state who joined Rebuild Florida only to face years of delays, problems, and unanswered questions.
“A reasonable time frame for repairs is understandable, yet these families have been waiting for years. I’m worried about their health,” Yarborough mentioned. “I suspect that if the back walls in the bedrooms I inspected today were opened, they would reveal a considerable amount of mold, and that situation is simply unacceptable. Another state department would shut down a business if it found similar conditions.”
For more than a year and a half First Coast News and 10 Tampa Bay have been investigating the Rebuild Florida program. We have visited Corson’s home several times to see the progress, or lack of progress, made to fix his home.
“They were told by the foundation company not to do anything until they squared away the foundation. They ignored it. They sent a second foundation company, they ignored it. So they sent a third foundation company, they ignored it. They put the roof on, which is about, I think, the fourth roof they’ve actually put on,” Corson said.
In September 2024, Corson paid for an independent inspection, which revealed extensive water intrusion and elevated moisture. The state has already spent thousands on Corson’s home, but the exact amount is unknown because records were removed from the Florida Accountability Contract Tracking System. Our public records request has not been answered and FloridaCommerce has only said, “Looking into this for you.”
After repairs, new windows, and a new A/C system, Rebuild Florida decided this year that Corson’s house needs to be demolished and rebuilt.
“All the work they’ve done is shoddy, and every dollar they spent on this house is wasted,” Corson said.
“That’s taxpayer money and that’s literally going to go in the dumpster because of what’s going on here,” Yarborough said.
In June FloridaCommerce told Yarborough the project was estimated to be complete in December 2025, but the house still hasn’t even been demolished.
“So the stress and the anxiety and just waiting on them, just waiting and waiting. You hurry up and wait, and then they tell you this and then it’s months later and it’s just, that’s over 8 years now,” Corson said. “It’s just totally ridiculous.”
“It’s all unacceptable,” Yarborough said. “I think the frustration about it is justified…It needs to be made right.”
Many of Corson’s belongings remain boxed up as he waits for demolition.
“We’re tired of living like this,” Corson said.
“I don’t blame you,” Yarborough said.
*”I mean, we shouldn’t have to. We’re taxpayers too. I mean, I’m disabled and stuff, but I’m still a taxpayer,” Corson said.
“Well, the commitment was made to you,” Yarborough said. “It was committed to you that something would happen, and it hasn’t happened.”
Corson told Yarborough he really wanted two things: windows on the side of his house and power to his workshop. After the tour, Yarborough contacted FloridaCommerce again. He says those changes can be made to the scope of work but will push the project back. Yarborough was told demolition is now tentatively scheduled for early December and expected to take about 120 days to complete the home.
“Here’s the biggest thing for me: it’s an integrity issue. You were told by the state you could rely on this program, and that we would take care of that for you, and that’s not happening,” Yarborough said. “There’s a failure there in a lot of ways. If I have to visit more properties and insist we get action, or give coverage to more of that until it gets done, that’s what we’ll do. We shouldn’t have to do that, but if we have to, that’s what the people elected me to do, so I’m willing to do it.”
The Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is currently auditing the Rebuild Florida program and has already visited some homes in the program. The audit is expected to be complete by January 2026.
