JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It has been nearly a year since Hurricane Matthew devastated parts of northeast Florida and local governments are still waiting for federal reimbursements.
This past week Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., told News4Jax that Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for Florida will be delayed. He said with the ongoing devastation from Hurricane Harvey, money will be diverted to Texas and Louisiana.
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Restoration work Florida has been nonstop over the past year, but some areas are still left virtually untouched.
In San Marco, Riverside Park’s bulkhead took a hard hit from the storm. The damage was dangerous to people walking near the water’s edge, so the city put up a fence.
People who live in the area say the fence killed the view and the crowd.
“People out in the evening sit here with cameras or just watch the sunset,” San Marco resident Sam Mitchell said. “A lot of couples come out here, and now it's no man's land. Nobody is ever out here.”
“I just kind of avoided the area since the fence went up,” San Marco resident Brandon Estes said. “I mean, there's no one over there anymore now. It's an eyesore too. It’s kind of frustrating to see it.”
In Mandarin, the County Dock is another spot battered by Matthew. The dock used to be a place for people to launch boats, fish and watch manatees. Now it’s gated off.
“It’s totally inaccessible,” Mandarin resident Clint Waltrip said. “Most of the planks are gone. It looks like it's just been flipped over on its side.”
Everyone News4Jax reporter Allyson Henning spoke with said they are ready for rebuilding.