Rising Above the Flood: Floridians lifting their homes above the surge

Lifting homes above flood zones grow in popularity

PINELLAS COUNTY — Some neighborhoods in Florida are too beautiful to leave, whether the homes are on the coast, Intracoastal, rivers, or canals. But the allure of living on the water can often lead to unfathomable destruction.

That's why many Floridians are asking themselves tough questions: Should they move out of a flood zone, risk being flooded again, or simply lift their lives above the rising water?

ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska and photojournalist Reed Moeller have been working on this story since Dec. 2023. For the past eight months, we've shot hours of video, time lapses, and interviews to capture the realities of what people are living through and waiting months and months for permits to clear for a home lift in Shore Acres to finally get the green light.

Albert Jasuwan is the founder of JAS Builders. In January, he told Paluska he bought the home in Shore Acres to be his very first lift. He sees lifting as the future for Floridians facing hurricanes and torrential rains. Jasuwan partnered with Payne Construction Services, a family-owned and operated company that specializes in lifting homes.

"You bought this home specifically to lift it and show people what needs to be done. Do you see this moving forward as a market in Florida to protect people?" Paluska asked Jasuwan.

"Absolutely. We felt we needed to invest. So, my business partner and I invested in buying this house to show people how it's done. We invest in our community to do this. It's a big investment. But it is necessary. It's 100% necessary to stay. We all want to live here. It's a beautiful area. St. Pete is amazing. So to be able to stay, we got to lift and get us out of this whole storm surge."