VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The Chiarizzi family in Volusia County has been waiting three years for help to demolish their hurricane-damaged home — a house they can no longer live in.
Bruce and Lisa Chiarizzi are one of three families in the county who applied for demolition assistance after Hurricane Ian struck in 2022. Despite approval from the county, the federal funds have yet to arrive.
“We’ve now moved out temporarily because we didn’t want it to flood again and be in it. Four times is quite enough,” Bruce said.
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The couple continues to pay taxes, insurance, water, and electricity on a property they fear to use.
“All we want to do is move on, as with so many other Floridians with the same problem. We’re trying to just get a hold on our life again,” Bruce said.
News 6 visited the Chiarizzi family after flooding in 2018 and again after Ian in 2022. Since then, they have struggled to sell the home.
Last January, Volusia County approved buying the house with a FEMA grant for Ian victims to tear it down, but the money still hasn’t come through.
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“Until the county buys it under this acquisition’s demolition grant, we own it. This is our baby and our entire life savings is in this house,” Lisa said.
The Chiarizzis are responsible for 25% of the demolition cost, while FEMA covers the remaining 75%. After demolition, they will receive 75% of the home’s fair market value.
Volusia County says the county and state have done their part for the three families who applied for the 2022 funding, some right after the storm, but the county is still waiting on federal approval.
The hope is that tearing these properties down will protect neighbors from future flooding.
“We are told that our file is on the desk of Kristy Noem, the director of Homeland Security, and it is waiting for her signature along with 131 other cases from Florida,” Lisa said.
The Chiarizzis say they have been told they cannot apply for any other grants or programs while this FEMA application is pending, or it will be rejected.
News 6 reached out to FEMA earlier this week to ask what is causing the delay in getting a signature but has not received a response.