+1 to what Remington700 said. Many buildings in FL are built to withstand hurricanes, especially commercial buildings. Some of the new schools, which are being used as shelters right now, can withstand a cat 5 hurricane.
Many new houses are typical stick construction, and are weaker than their block companions. They do incoporate things like rods from the top plate down into the foundation, and then clips from the top plate onto the trusses to try to keep the roof from blowing off.
They are currently building hundreds of new homes in St Augustine that are of stick construction. Big cookie cutter neighborhoods. There has been a demand for new homes here, mostly for people who commute to work in Jax.
I live in an older home (for FL lol) that was built in 1980. It is concrete block construction. We do feel a little safer having the block walls. And it also seems to keep it cooler in the summer.
The wind is blowing pretty hard outside now. I can hear stuff flying around out there. Can't see a damn thing through the plywood on the windows