Water Damage Restoration in Hollywood

Hollywood sits in southeastern Broward, midway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, with ocean beaches on a barrier island and the Intracoastal Waterway running behind them. The city’s stormwater page puts the core problem plainly: much of Hollywood is at or near sea level, so gravity drainage does not work as well as it would on higher ground. Intense rain and tidal surges can overwhelm streets and storm drains, and some neighborhoods flood more than once a year.

Record rain in 2009 and 2023

Two storms show what heavy rain does here. On December 18, 2009, 8 to 13 inches fell, mostly along and east of I-95, and Hollywood was among the hardest-hit communities. Across Broward, 101 homes had major flood damage, some with up to 2 feet of water inside, and a shelter opened in Hollywood.

April 12, 2023 was worse. Between noon and midnight, 15 to 25 inches of rain fell across the urban corridor, and Broward County received a federal disaster declaration for the flooding. That same year, the rain gauge at the Hollywood Waste Water Plant logged 106.68 inches, its wettest year on record.

Rain that fills streets and then comes under doors is handled as flood cleanup, because it carries whatever was on the pavement and in the storm drains.

Changing flood maps and a long drainage plan

In July 2024, updated FEMA maps added more than 11,000 Hollywood properties to the high-risk flood zone. The barrier island also includes coastal high hazard areas, where waves add force to rising water.

The city is working through a stormwater master plan that splits Hollywood into more than 40 improvement zones, rolled out in phases over 20 to 30 years. One example is a dry detention area at Orangebrook Golf Course. On a timeline that long, drainage on a given street may not change for some time.

Mid-century homes and high-rise units

Hollywood grew quickly in the postwar decades, from about 14,000 residents in 1950 to more than 100,000 by 1970, and the housing shows it. The median home was built in 1969. In houses that age, slow leaks often start at original shutoff valves, drain lines and water heater connections, and they can go unnoticed under flooring or behind cabinets for a long time.

Nearly one in five homes is in a building with 50 or more units. In condos and apartments, a failed supply line or AC drain upstairs can reach several units below, and each one needs its own moisture readings. About 1 in 10 units is kept for seasonal use, which raises the odds that a leak starts while nobody is home. For water that is actively spreading, see emergency water removal.

Which ZIP codes are mostly Hollywood

ZIP codes 33019 and 33020 are almost entirely Hollywood, and 33021 is about 94 percent Hollywood. ZIP code 33024 is different: Pembroke Pines holds the largest share, with Cooper City and part of Davie also inside it. Smaller parts of Hollywood carry 33004, 33023 and 33312 addresses. The 24/7 line serves all of them.