Some pictures and rumors are going around of Building Services staff taking pictures of properties.
It is TRUE that staff are taking pictures of properties though it is for the property owner’s protection. There were discrepancies in the Army Corps of Engineers rapid assessment of all properties on the Island that immediately followed the storm.
Some houses were “red tagged” as substantially damaged that are not. Some pictures were applied to the wrong addresses. The rapid nature of the Corps assessment didn’t allow for accessing properties safely that had downed electrical lines, trees or other obstructions. These and other discrepancies can now be assessed and corrected in reporting.
PLEASE ALSO KEEP THIS IN MIND: The Town and the various county, state and federal agencies that are helping us recover from Ian are working hard to put FMB back together. Taking pictures is HELPFUL to those efforts. It’s probably about the 4th time that staff or state contractors have taken pictures for report/record purposes.
Documentation of recovery progress is essential to FEMA and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) for funding as well as for valuations by the Lee County Property Appraiser.
Have you heard a rumor?
Please, let us fact check it.
Email the rumor to publicinfo@fmbgov.com