Help the Pennington Family Find Stability After City Neglect

I saw the video of raw sewage pouring from the toilet; it was disgusting. The overflowing toilet filled the home with contaminated ‘water’ for over two hours! The stench and the devastation was a nightmare that unfolded in September 2024 when a severe afternoon thunderstorm dropped an unprecedented amount of rain in a very short time that caused the catastrophic sewage backup. The sewage water that filled their home destroyed their floors, furniture, and most of their belongings. It’s been almost a year and this sweet family is still living the nightmare.

Jim and Rachelle Pennington chose their St. Petersburg home over 20 years ago, and they were careful to ensure that it wasn’t located in a flood zone. However, despite this, their home has endured many stormwater flooding events, with the situation worsening over time. Their home has been the only one in the neighborhood affected. In 2016, sewage backups started happening in conjunction with the stormwater flooding.

A month after the September ‘24 storm, Hurricane Milton hit the area. The Pennington’s home was flooded with raw sewage again, but far worse. Many of the belongings they had saved from the first storm got destroyed. Raw sewage and stormwater, once again, covered their entire property, inside and out.

After the September storm, they immediately got on the phone to their insurance. Surely this would be covered by their home insurance? Nope. Their insurance told them they wouldn’t cover it because it was the city’s fault. The flooding originated from poor city infrastructure.

After miles of red tape and discussions with various city personnel, they were advised to submit an application for the city to buy their house. The city has done so before in similar situations. After six months of waiting (while still paying a mortgage on a house they can’t live in) they were told their request was denied. The city said they have no use for their property.

They had also been advised to start a claims process with the city. The claim was for the cost of the repairs needed to make their home livable again, the cost of their belongings, and expenses. (This claim had been put on hold while the city deliberated about buying their home). The damage/repair claim was reactivated when the city denied the purchase request. The city has now also denied their damage/repair claim stating they weren’t liable for the Pennington’s losses. They could sue, but interesting to note: There is a law that states the most you can sue the city for is $200,000. So it’s cheaper for the city to get sued than to take responsibility!

So, although poor city management is responsible for the sewage disaster at the Pennington’s home, the Penningtons are left to foot the bill.

This single-income (church income), homeschooling family, has no means to repair their home or cover their losses.

The Penningtons face a crisis.

For the past nine months, they’ve been our guests, living for free in our 5th wheel on our side yard, but we are moving out of state for a new job. They cannot return to their contaminated, unsellable house. With a church-income, they also can’t afford rent while still paying a mortgage. They’ve lost almost everything.

With nowhere else to go, they are running out of options. The city has turned its back on them. Insurance won’t help. Litigation could take years and offers no real solution.

This beautiful, faith-filled family needs immediate support. Please consider helping them! Please donate, share this GoFundMe to raise awareness, or share resources that could lead to a resolution.

Every small act of kindness brings them closer to hope.