ORLO VISTA, Fla. — One year after Hurricane Ian, people living in Orlo Vista say they are still repairing their homes and trying to get back to normal after the storm flooded homes with several feet of floodwater.

Those residents say they have renewed hope, though, thanks to a $20 million flood mitigation project now underway.

Clarence Laster survived Hurricanes Irma in 2017, and Ian in 2022 — he said floodwater during Irma came up to his waist, but past his chest during Ian. He had to be rescued by a boat after both storms.

Laster said funds from FEMA and the Red Cross helped him make repairs to his flood-damaged home and he moved back in about 10 months after Ian. 

A year later, he said he’s keeping an eye on a more than $20 million project down the street that is designed to improve drainage pumps in the area so they can pump out more water, faster. The project is also deepening area retention ponds so they will hold more water.

Laster said he’s already noticing a difference.

“The place is deeper, and you can go up to it and you can look down and it’s kind of breathtaking how deep they dug it out,” he said.

And Laster said the project gives him some peace of mind when it comes to the possibility of future storms.

“If the government was willing to come in here and give us money, and invest in this neighborhood to take care of that, I have confidence and feel good about that,” he said.

Orange County officials say the flood mitigation project is about 20% complete, and should be finished by the end of 2024.