ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Communities all over the Tampa Bay area are struggling after the recent hurricanes.

The storm damage and displacement is a huge blow for people already living in low-income and underserved communities. That’s the reality in south St. Petersburg's Bartlett Park neighborhood.

What You Need To Know

  • Hurricane Helene and Milton's aftermath is a huge blow for people already living in low-income and underserved communities

  • South St. Petersburg's Bartlett Park neighborhood suffered damages from both storms, from flooding to damaged roofs

  • Some landlords said they’re allowing residents to break their leases and return their deposits due to the storm's impacts, but it brings little relief to resident Gregory Ruffin and his wife

  • City officials said FEMA has visited the complex, assisting people to move, but some residents say that hasn’t happened for them yet

It’s a familiar story in the neighborhood. Hurricane Helene flooded the first-floor homes in one apartment complex. Then, Milton flooded the area and damaged the roofs.

For the people in the Lakeside apartments, that means the affordable housing they desperately need is gone.

Parts of the roof are on the ground, flood damaged cars are in the parking lot, and piles of debris are scattered around the front of buildings.

Sadly, it’s where Gregory Ruffin calls home. The apartment he shares with his wife is livable for now. At least for them, it has to be.

“We’ve just been living in here until we find somewhere to go,” Ruffin said.

Flood waters from Hurricane Helene are the cause for most of the damage. The waterline inside is as high as the doorknobs. Hurricane Milton’s impacts only added to it.

“I had a nice apartment. The cabinets, as you can see, they (swelled) up. I don’t know if you can open the back one up,” he said.

Ruffin managed to clean up his apartment as best he can, but the mold is growing along with the discovery of even more water damage.

“My sofas were floating, and it got damaged too, but I took pillows out there in the sun and let them dry, and turned the sofas on end and whatever water was on the bottom part of it ran down, and I put the fan on it, and I flipped them up the other way,” said Ruffin.

He’s on a fixed income and desperate to save what he can.

“I had to retire because I had prostate cancer surgery. Got that taken care of, but I had other issues. I had to get off the road. I paved roads all around this place. That was my job,” he said.

With his home destroyed and not many affordable housing options, he’s now trying to get his old job back.

“The first and last month's rent. That’s what kills you. If I got rent money, the first and last they throw that in there, and that blows you right out the water. They don’t show compassion,” he said.

Compassion is what he’s hoping for, but a safe place to stay is what he desperately needs.  

“I can’t do but so much, man. Hurting, sick. I’m trying but (I'm not) giving up, God is good,” Ruffin said.

Ruffin's landlord at Times Square Properties said they’re allowing residents to break their leases and return their deposits. But it brings little relief to Ruffin and his wife.

When asked what they were doing to help underserved communities, the city of St. Pete said they were offering a list of local programs. City officials also said FEMA has visited the complex, encouraging people to move, because they were providing them with assistance. Some residents say that hasn’t happened for them yet.