🌊 North Tampa floods

Good Monday morning.

☀️ Sunny. 86°/69°.

• Sounds like: "History," One Direction.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Tampa Bay member James Stark!

Today's newsletter is 910 words, a 3.5-minute read.

Hurricane Milton dumped 10 to 15 inches of rain on the University Area of unincorporated Hillsborough County, causing unprecedented floods that devastated a community already in dire straits.

Why it matters: Milton inundated hundreds of buildings across North Tampa — an unwelcome reminder that places once thought safe from such hurricane destruction are no longer so.

Catch up quick: University, a census-designated area named for its closeness to the University of South Florida, lies in flood zone X. That means it faces a 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year.

• Milton defied those odds. Floodwaters overtook Fowler Avenue, which Mayor Jane Castor dubbed "Lake Fowler."
• Families waited to be rescued from flooded homes while deputies and firefighters scrambled to evacuate 135 seniors from an assisted living facility submerged in waist-deep water.
• 230 properties sustained damage, a spokesperson with the City of Tampa tells Axios.

Yes, but: It wasn't all rain. Milton caused a power outage at Duck Pond, Hillsborough County's largest pump station.

• The pump failure, combined with what Tampa's Mobility Department described as a "300-year rainfall," resulted in the flooding.

The big picture: Flooded homes in the University Area remained occupied last week as some residents had nowhere else to go. Tree branches pierced roofs, and basic supplies like food and water ran low.

• "When a catastrophe hits an area that already faces challenges," says Sarah Combs, CEO of the nonprofit University Area Community Development Corporation, "it makes it that much worse."
• The University Area is home to around 26,000 people, most of whom are Hispanic and Black. About 89% of residents rent their homes, leaving them dependent on landlords to fix the damage.
• The University Area Community Development Corporation served 10,000 meals last week and, with the Sheriff's Office, distributed clothes and supplies.

What they're saying: "It's going to take months … to figure out how we really meet the need of what we're seeing out here," Combs tells Axios.

• "Our biggest issue is emergency shelter," she adds. "We need safe housing before contractors can start repairs, but hotels are full, and there's no housing inventory in the area."

How to help: Volunteers will be needed in the coming weeks, Combs says. For now, those who want to help can donate.

Spread the word

Early voting is election season's best-kept secret.

Why it matters: Starting today, voters in Tampa Bay can cast their ballots in person without having to wade through Election Day lines on Nov. 5. 

• Early voting runs through Nov. 3 in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Sarasota and Polk counties; it ends Nov. 2 in Pasco, Citrus and Manatee.

How it works: Unlike Election Day, when you must vote at your assigned precinct, you can cast a ballot at any of your county's early voting locations.

• Click these links to see the polling stations and their hours: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, Manatee, Citrus.

What you need: An ID with your photo and signature. 

• For most people, this will be a driver's license, state ID or passport. But military IDs, student IDs and government employee IDs can also work.
• If in doubt, bring multiple forms of ID. 
• If you forget your ID or the one you bring is rejected, you'll still be allowed to cast a provisional ballot, to be verified later. 

Tell a friend

📜 The DeSantis administration urged state lawmakers to reform the process through which citizens can change Florida's constitution after this year's referenda on abortion access and recreational marijuana made it to ballots. (Tampa Bay Times)

🔥 Ramiro González, an undecided Republican from Tampa, grilled former President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the coronavirus pandemic at a Univision town hall. (Creative Loafing)

🌎 The bulk of Florida's new residents are from abroad, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of the 634,000 new Florida residents last year, 45% of them came from another country. (Associated Press)

🔌 Suzy Macke, a "troubleman" for Duke Energy who helped restore power after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, formed a Facebook group called "line ladies" for women who work in the male-dominated industry. (WUSF)

⛑️ More Floridians applied for FEMA aid in a single day following Hurricane Milton compared to any other day in American history, President Joe Biden said. (Tampa Bay Times)

A 19-year-old University of Tampa student whose newborn was found dead in a dorm room trash can in April was charged with with aggravated manslaughter Friday. (Tampa Bay Times)

The challenge: You can't DIY foundation repair, especially during storm season. Water-saturated soil can make problems worse.

The solution: Call an expert from Alpha Foundations to ensure your foundation is properly repaired and protected.

Get a free inspection.

Just in time for second summer, a giant pumpkin has arrived in Tampa to usher in some fall energy.

State of gourd: The 868-pound squash (a pumpkin is both a squash and a gourd, apparently) arrived Friday at Bearss Groves in North Tampa, per a news release.

• It was transported from Indiana and now sits on display in front of the farmers market for visitors to take photos, free of charge, the release said. Pets are welcome.
• The release called it "Florida's largest pumpkin," but Axios has not been able to verify that claim. (If the arbiter of pumpkin size is reading this, please email us.)

Fun fact: Bearss Groves owner Barry Lawrance sprays sulfur on rotted areas to keep the pumpkin photogenic in the Florida humidity, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

If you go: The farmers market is open from 9am-7pm Saturday-Halloween. 

Share this story

Knowledge is power, and we believe in empowering our community through reliable, local journalism. 

Join our membership program for just $50+ a year, and you can support our efforts to keep you in the know of what's happening around town.

• You'll get insider notes and other perks as a thanks.

Together, we can ensure our neighbors stay informed.

Have you seen this statuesque family taking a walk in the park?

• Hit reply! Correct answers will be entered into a drawing to win some sweet Axios swag.

Homeowners should be protecting one of their biggest investments.

If you see cracks in your home's exterior or gaps around windows and doors, those foundation issues could lower your home's value.

• Alpha Foundations experts will find and address the root cause.

Schedule an inspection with Alpha Foundations — and start the season with peace of mind.

😭 Yacob is trying not to cry while reading Chris Huntington's "Modern Love" column.

😋 Kathryn is feeling especially grateful for home-cooked meals after weeks of hurricane snacks and takeout.

This newsletter was edited by Jeff Weiner.