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Pasco County, FL

The Clubhouse

Hurricane DamageFEMA 50% RuleStop Work OrderCommercial Property

“Three feet of floodwater. An unlicensed contractor. A demolition order. We got the call after all of it.”

After a hurricane brought three feet of floodwater through the community clubhouse, the HOA needed repairs fast. They hired a contractor who said he could handle it. He couldn't — and he wasn't licensed. By the time MKC was called, the city had posted a red tag and a stop work order on the building.

⚠What We Walked Into

  • A commercial structure with active flood damage, partially demoed by an unlicensed contractor who had since walked off the job.
  • A red tag and stop work order posted by the city, halting all activity on the property.
  • No permits had been pulled for any of the work. The city was now treating the structure as a potential FEMA 50% rule trigger — meaning if the cost of repairs exceeded 50% of the building's assessed value, it would have to be elevated or demolished.
  • The HOA board was in a panic. Some members were being told the building couldn't be saved.

⚙How We Solved It

  • We contacted the city directly and opened a formal dialogue about the red tag and the path to reinstatement.
  • Our licensed engineer inspected the completed work and certified that it met code requirements, despite the lack of permits.
  • We filed the after-the-fact permit application with full engineer-stamped documentation and negotiated with the city on the inspection protocol.
  • We managed the FEMA substantial damage assessment process, documenting repair costs carefully to demonstrate compliance with the 50% rule.
  • We cleared the red tag, obtained the stop work order lift, and passed all required inspections to bring the structure back into legal compliance.

✓The Result

  • Red tag cleared. Stop work order lifted.
  • After-the-fact permits issued and closed.
  • Structure determined to be below the FEMA 50% threshold — no elevation or demolition required.
  • Full FEMA compliance established.
  • Clubhouse restored to use.
The building is still standing. The HOA never had to demolish it.

Got a Similar Situation?

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Whether it's a code violation, an after-the-fact permit, or a FEMA compliance issue — call us before you start guessing what to do next.

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