Madeira Beach suffered serious damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Residents and business owners are still dealing with significant losses from the 2024 storms.
Like many of our coastal communities, homes are being demolished, work is still going on to rebuild for those who can and permits are still being filed.
WATCH Madeira Beach working to recover from Hurricanes Helene and Milton
"I think that it's been a long road. We're over six months from Helene, but the city is coming back together. We have almost all of our beach accesses open. We just opened Archibald Park, which is a really big deal, and the new restrooms. Homeowners are starting to get their homes back together. So I think we're doing really good," said Mayor Anne-Marie Brooks.
Madeira Beach only has a few thousand people who live on the island. Those residents really came together after the storms.
"The first thing I would say is, we're two miles long and a smile wide. After the storm, one of the biggest things that I saw after residents were able to come back onto the island—we were driving around the city giving out waters and ice to residents who were cleaning out their homes—and the thing that just caught my attention right away was the residents that were coming out and helping their neighbors. And even though they were dragging everything they owned to the road, they still found a way to smile and be grateful. And that's Madeira Beach. We're a beach community, and you're tight-knit. You stick together and you work together," said Brooks.
Today, efforts of recovery are still happening, even six months after Helene, and just a few months away from the 2025 Hurricane Season.
"There's always going to be challenges. City staff continues to work with residents to get them through those hurdles. We have open permitting hours two to three days a week. Permitting department is still working seven days a week behind the scenes, but at least two some weeks. It's three days that we open the doors and have residents come in. If you come in any day and need something, the staff is very accommodating to help residents with getting their paperwork uploaded to the system, understanding the permit process. So I think that we've done a really good job in getting residents back into their homes, getting their permits issued," said Brooks.
But tourism is rebounding, which is a good thing for the beaches.
"I think we had a decent spring break. We had a fantastic seafood festival. I think that residents and tourists, they just want to come back. You know, Madeira is unique, I think, in what we have to offer. John's Pass is amazing. It's something that we all want to preserve," said Brooks.
The city is also planning the 78th Founder's Day Captains Party. It's May 3 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and is family-friendly. You can read more about that by clicking here.
Efforts for a master plan in the City of Madeira Beach are also underway to help plan for the future. You can give feedback and follow along by clicking here.
