WIUM Local
(2008-07-17)
ST. LOUIS, MO
(St. Louis Public Radio) -
Weeks after massive flooding in the Midwest, at least five states, including Missouri, are considering federally-funded buyouts so residents can move to higher ground. The buyouts are being debated in Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois.
Residents in communities that qualify can choose to sell their properties to their city or county, with 75-percent of the costs paid by FEMA.
But Crystal Payton of FEMA District 7 cautions that the buyout program will not be a quick process.
"It's not something that's going to happen overnight. So, if homeowners received federal disaster assistance or insurance payments, they need to take care of themselves in the immediate aftermath of the disaster using those funds," says Payton.
In the aftermath of the Great Flood of 1993, FEMA officials say the government bought out nearly 12,000 properties in nine states
"It can take awhile to go through all the steps to evaluate properties and then to get concurrence at the state level about which properties are most cost effective," says Payton.
Seventy Missouri counties were also declared disaster areas in March and April after flooding in the Meramec River basin.
Several meetings are planned in flood-affected communities in eastern Missouri, starting July 28 in Hannibal and Saverton.
© Copyright 2012, St. Louis Public Radio
