What to know about "substantial damage" letters after hurricanes Helene, Milton

State of play: Area residents in recent months have been receiving "substantial damage letters" from local governments, which indicate whether a homeowner has the OK to rebuild.

• The Tampa Bay Times rounded up guidance on these letters — what they mean, who gets them and what to do if you've received one. Here's the gist.

The key metric: 50%. If inspectors determine that repairing your home would cost more than half its value, they'll deem it to be "substantially damaged."

• That means the home can't simply be repaired. Rather, it must be elevated to the current floodplain (and updated to current building code standards) or demolished and replaced.

How it works: This determination is made by local governments, either via contractors or their own inspectors, who rely on a FEMA estimation tool.

• One important factor: the high-water mark, which can indicate how badly a building flooded.

• The goal of this process is to prevent homes that are likely to flood again from being rebuilt as they were.

Yes, but: You may disagree with your assessment. That's fine; the letter's arrival is not a final determination.

• If you think they've overestimated the cost of repairing your, home follow the instructions in the letter to seek a re-assessment.

Be prepared for that new review: Gather your home's appraisal, document the specific damage, and collect estimates on repair costs, including labor and debris disposal.

Go deeper: The Times' full story has additional info on permitting resources, preparing for a reassessment and more.