Harbor Lights Rises Again

The entire neighborhood stopped to watch.

Residents gathered outside, cameras in hand, as a massive crane carefully lifted Harbor Lights' first elevated manufactured home into the air. Piece by piece, the home was placed atop its new foundation, built to meet Florida's updated flood and storm safety standards.

For many, it was more than construction, it was a moment years in the making. "It was so exciting when the first home arrived, and it has taken a lot of planning, demolitions, planning and now rebuilding," says Jamie Sandifer, Harbor Lights Community Manager. "We had tons of residents gathering around to watch as the crane lifted the home up and placed it on stilts. It was amazing to see and made us a little nervous too since it was so high up and they had to place two sides together basically assembling it while up in the air."

The arrival of that first elevated home marked a major milestone for Harbor Lights, a vibrant 55+ waterfront manufactured home community located along the Intercoastal waterway in St. Petersburg, Florida. This was also a powerful reminder that even after unimaginable loss, communities can rebuild stronger than before.

In the fall of 2024, Florida's Gulf Coast endured one of the most devastating hurricane seasons in recent history.

Hurricane Helene brought record-breaking storm surge to the Tampa Bay area, inundating neighborhoods that had never experienced flooding at that level. Just weeks later, Hurricane Milton struck, delivering powerful winds and additional destruction to communities that were already trying to recover.

For Harbor Lights, the impact was catastrophic.

The entire community suffered extensive damage, leaving homes uninhabitable and forcing many residents to make difficult decisions about their future. Some lost everything they owned. Others temporarily relocated while waiting to see whether rebuilding would be possible.

Jamie Standifer remembers the experience personally. She lived at Harbor Lights and lost everything.  

Like many of her residents, she faced the challenge of rebuilding her own life while helping others navigate theirs. Residents lived without power for months as infrastructure and utilities were restored, but through it all, the Harbor Lights community remained connected by a shared determination to come back stronger.

The devastation from the storms prompted local governments to reevaluate building requirements in vulnerable coastal areas.

Today, homes being rebuilt in communities like Harbor Lights must meet updated elevation and flood protection standards designed to better withstand future storms and reduce flood damage.

Florida has also introduced Elevate Florida, a first-of-its-kind statewide residential mitigation program led by the Florida Division of Emergency Management. The program helps homeowners protect their properties against future disasters while reducing insurance costs and minimizing future storm-related claims.

The new homes arriving at Harbor Lights reflect this commitment to resilience and long-term safety.

Elevated Manufactured Homes Bring Innovation to Florida's Gulf Coast

The latest homes at Harbor Lights are being built by Jacobsen Homes, a Florida manufacturer known for producing high-quality homes designed specifically for the state's climate and building requirements.

The homes include numerous modern safety features that go well beyond traditional construction standards.

The homes are beautiful and come from a third-generation generation family owned and operated company, said Rose Graham, Divisional Sales Manager for Roots Management Group. "They feature steel crossbeams throughout the structure, Hardie board siding, and are built to meet today's enhanced building and safety requirements. The construction methods and materials being used now reflect the lessons learned from recent storms and provide residents with added confidence and peace of mind for the future." 

The elevated design also creates new opportunities for homeowners to personalize their outdoor living spaces. "The homes are open underneath down the middle, which is ideal for a carport or an extended party patio where people can enjoy the natural shade under the home," adds Graham. "I've seen people add party string lighting, and some really fun features like dumbwaiters and small elevators for grocery purchases or simply for convenience." 

While elevated manufactured housing may be relatively new to Florida's West Coast, Graham believes it represents the future of coastal living. "Elevated housing is a safe, secure route that has come a long way since the devastation of the last two hurricanes."

The first elevated home at Harbor Lights represents far more than new construction.

It symbolizes perseverance.

It represents neighbors returning home.

It demonstrates what is possible when communities, residents, and local leaders work together to rebuild with the future in mind.

The excitement that filled Harbor Lights as residents watched the crane carefully position that first home was about more than steel beams and building materials. It was about hope finally becoming visible.

The storms that impacted this community changed lives forever, but they did not diminish the spirit of the people who call Harbor Lights home.

Today, this waterfront community is rising again, higher, stronger, safer, and more connected than ever before.

Next week we will take a closer look at the infrastructure and rebuilding that took place to get things ready for this rebuilding process. All the things we can't necessarily see but needed to be done to help ensure that Harbor Lights is not only a great place to live right now but a solid foundation for many years to come.