President Donald Trump vowed to support Southwest Floridians who suffered serious property damage from Hurricane Irma. Thursday he visited Naples Estates, a mobile home community near Rattlesnake Hammock and County Barn Roads, where met with many residents whose homes were either damaged or destroyed by Irma.
"I just want to tell you, we are there for you," Trump said. "We're going to be back, and we're going to help."
The President, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence, handed out sandwiches and ice water to residents as he greeted them.
"When I met President Trump I asked him to find us housing," said Jodie Tobin, whose Naples Estates home was destroyed when the hurricane tore through Collier County. "They can't. All the people who evacuated, they all went to hotels, and they're still there because there's no electric."
Tobin is staying with a neighbor temporarily, but she's not sure what to do in the long-term.
"I had all my retirement money, and I bought this and I fixed it all up, and that's all I had," she said as she looked at her ruined living room, which is now open to the sky. "I don't have insurance."
Patricia Fogle, a Naples Estates resident who lost her carport and suffered roof damage to her home, was encouraged by the President's visit.
"He said he was going to fix up this place, and we would have homes that we could live in and be proud of," Fogle said.
FEMA staff were also in Naples Estates Thursday, registering residents for temporary housing.
"We try to get them into rental assistance," said Redora Stillwagon of FEMA. "Then hopefully, they can get back on their feet."
Stillwagon said there were more than 270 homes in Naples Estates that were either damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Irma.
