Lynn Haven Mayor seeking $40 million for Hurricane Michael relief trust fund

Nov. 05--LYNN HAVEN -- Touring the city on a golf cart after Hurricane Michael, Lynn Haven Mayor Margo Anderson saw the immense power of the storm that laid waste to the landscape.

Among the downed trees, dangling power lines and peeled apart buildings were a common sight. Almost every one of the more than 8,000 homes in Lynn Haven sustained some degree of damage from the historically unprecedented storm. And at least 250 homes were completely destroyed by the combination of the 155 mph winds and rain, including the home belonging to Anderson's mother.

Realizing that paying thousands of dollars for an insurance deductible would be a key hurdle on the path toward recovery, Anderson sought advice on how to clear the way.

"The thought is that in the midst of this, if we can help people pay for their insurance deductible and get back on their feet, that will be a huge shot in the arm," Anderson said. "It will also encourage people to stay and have hope that we can get past this."

Anderson said the idea came from her daughter, Hilary Keeley, who is a lawyer in Jacksonville, and they began working with a Holland and Knight law firm to establish a trust fund at Hancock Whitney Bank to help residents pay their insurance deductibles.

Anderson approached the city commission last Tuesday with a proposal to establish the fund, which was unanimously approved by the board. It's called the "Lynn Haven Hurricane Relief Trust Fund," although the surrounding area of Southport will also be able to apply for the funds. The goal is to reach $40 million to help residents begin the process of rebuilding their homes.

"It's a lofty goal," Anderson said. "But in light of everything we've been through already, I'm hopeful we can accomplish it by Christmas."

So far, the fund has had $50,000 contributed to it. But the goal is to get tax-deductible contributions from large, national corporations in order to raise the millions of dollars needed to help all homeowners. In the coming week, Anderson has meetings set up with several corporations along those lines, she said.

"We are very hopeful these nationally known corporations will step up," Anderson said. "If we just have a few contribute, we can be well on our way."

Once the trust fund has hit $5 million, Lynn Haven will begin accepting applications to pay for insurance deductibles and up to $5,000 for uninsured homeowners. Anderson said the disaster fund model is similar to that of BP's Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill disaster trust fund, only the application process will much simpler for residents in the area. However, a board -- the Lynn Haven City Commission -- will control disbursement of the funds.

In the future, the trust could eventually morph into a way for the community to provide scholarships or pay for other public projects. For the first few months, though, the funds will be directed at hurricane recovery, Anderson said.

"People are drained and beaten down," she said. "And the hope is that this fund will give them another reason to keep fighting."

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