GULFPORT, Fla. (WFLA) — Demolition crews are finishing the work that the hurricanes started in many communities.

In hard-hit Gulfport, the city is also working to clean up confusion.

Some of that confusion is caused by the painstaking process of assessing the damage and trying to figure out which homes can be restored or the ones that need to go.

City of Gulfport officials believe some of those assessments didn’t get it right.

From leveled lots to empty homes in disrepair.

The sound of construction is a telling sign of Gulfport’s transformation, but it comes with frustrations and fatigue following the devastating storms.

“It’s a huge impact,” said Gulfport resident Becky McCoy.

McCoy and her husband have lived in the Gulfport community for more than 20 years, but the last six months have been met with backlogs and delays.

Major discrepancies in how their damage was assessed are to blame.

“The second substantial damage letter we got put us over the 50 percent rule, which says tear your house down or elevate,” McCoy said.

The substantial damage determination letter is a federal mandate from FEMA to determine if the damage exceeds FEMA’s threshold to repair, but it’s up to local agencies to make the assessment.

The City of Gulfport worked with Tidal Basin, a company contracted by the state.

“We are not working with Tidal Basin any longer,” said Gulfport Mayor Karen Love.

Mayor Karen Love was elected to office three weeks ago but is working to clear up months of confusion about how the damage was initially assessed.

She says the discrepancies led to lengthy delays.

“Their primary function in this was the substantial damage letters,” Love said. “We spent a tremendous amount of time redoing letters that were off base or incorrect. The most pain that comes from that is people have been out of their homes for seven or eight months.”

News Channel 8 On Your Side reached out to Tidal Basin and the Florida Department of Emergency Management to learn more about the inspection process but have not received a response at this time.