As we again thank whatever force or grace that again pushed the center of a hurricane away from north Sarasota County and Manatee County – as the pictures from southern Sarasota, Lee and Collier counties are horrific – many of us marvel at how we are surrounded by debris and not mass destruction.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, the eyes of the nation turned to our section of Florida. I have noticed a lot of stories – locally and nationally – about the amount of damage, how much will be covered by insurance, what new building codes might be needed, and whether Floridians will continue to make the same mistakes that were illustrated by Ian’s impact. Florida has a tawdry history of real estate booms and busts, selling swampland, cutting corners in construction and, this century, turning a blind eye to the climate crisis that is now our reality.

Government officials from Lee County announced the day after Ian passed through that the entire infrastructure of the county would need to be rebuilt. This is an opportunity, a chance to get it right this time. Those in charge could create a 21st-century infrastructure that is respectful of what the storm’s destruction taught us, with a more wind-resistant local power grid, more protection from storm surges and better building codes

If Florida defaults to its 20th-century model of real estate boosterism, corruption, a disregard for nature, and hodgepodge development plans – or no planning at all – we will become a much less desirable place to live or move to.

Each week the estimated cost of all the damages due to Hurricane Ian increases. When all is said and done, the total might approach $100 billion.

If that is the case, it is a perfect opportunity to show ourselves, the country and the world that we have learned the hurricane-climate lesson and are moving forward with better ideas and plans.

One big question for Florida to consider is whether the state simply becomes a place where only the super-wealthy can afford to live.

The Sarasota-Manatee area had one of the greatest percentage increases in the country in both home values and rents over the past two years. The average price of a home has gone up faster since 2020 than at almost any other time in the state’s history. What happens to the value of that real estate if insurance coverage becomes either exorbitant or unavailable?

How we respond to this opportunity to create a better vision of the future in the next two years will help determine the viability of Sarasota, Manatee and the state of Florida.

NOTE TO READERS: In this space at the Herald-Tribune I write future-focused columns through a local filter. I have just launched a newsletter that covers many topics not covered here. You can sign up at Evolutionshift.substack.com.

Sarasota resident David Houle is a globally recognized futurist. He has given speeches on six continents, written 13 books and is futurist in residence at Ringling College of Art and Design. His websites are davidhoule.com and the2020sdecade.com. Email him at david@davidhoule.com.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: DAVID HOULE: Hurricane Ian gives Florida an opportunity to get it right