Building a Fortress to Survive: Florida Homeowners Contemplate Leaving After Back-to-Back Hurricanes

Siesta Key, Florida – As Hurricane Milton made its destructive landfall this Wednesday, many Florida homeowners are facing tough decisions about their future in the storm-prone state. Residents of the storm-battered Siesta Key community, already reeling from Hurricane Helene, are questioning whether they can continue to withstand the increasingly violent hurricanes.

“They’re frustrated, angry, and scared. There were a lot of tears,” reports CNN’s Randi Kaye, who spoke with affected homeowners. “They spend so much time watching the radar, constantly wondering if their home is in the storm’s track. They’re simply tired of it.”

One family, who had just moved to Siesta Key from Texas a month ago, saw their new home damaged twice—once by Hurricane Helene and now by Hurricane Milton. Their belongings were left scattered across their yard both times, a bitter welcome to Florida’s unforgiving hurricane season.

Another resident, devastated by the relentless storms, told Kaye, "You have to have a fortress to survive." She and her husband have made the difficult decision to leave the Sunshine State and relocate to Los Angeles, where they hope for a less storm-ravaged life.

The increasing intensity and frequency of storms like Helene and Milton have caused many Floridians to reconsider their long-term plans. As they grapple with whether to invest in reinforcing their homes or to simply leave the state, the future of communities like Siesta Key remains uncertain.

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