Relocation/ Home Buyout Options For Disaster Prone Communities 

Release Date: June 3, 2002
Release Number: 1410-53

» More Information on West Virginia Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides

Beckley, WV -- June 3, 2002 - Many West Virginians now have the chance to sell their flooded homes and move to safety. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is offering communities funds to buy West Virginian homes in the more disaster-prone locations.

Helping people build stronger and better and safer is the backbone of the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The mitigation program assists communities buy flood-damaged homes at their established pre-flood value and enables their owners to move out of harm's way and saves taxpayer dollars that would otherwise need to be expended to recover from future floods.

"This is a good deal for homeowners who want to move to safer ground," Jack Schuback, deputy federal coordinating officer on the current disaster recovery effort in West Virginia, said. "FEMA has the long term well being of the community upper most in mind."

"The state administers the program, and the houses bought will be torn down at no cost to the seller," said Steve Kappa, director of the West Virginia Office of Emergency Services. "The communities then preserve the land that may be used as a community park, for example, but no permanent structures can be placed on it."

The buyout process starts at the local level. Communities apply to the State Hazard Mitigation Officer, with the West Virginia Office of Emergency Services. The state studies the applications and submits its priorities to FEMA which reviews the state's choices to insure they are cost effective, conform to federal law and address recurring disaster-related threats. The buyout program is voluntary, as are all FEMA programs.

FEMA provides 75 percent of the funding, with the state government paying the remaining costs. This program is part of disaster assistance offered statewide following the latest presidential disaster declaration for West Virginia. President Bush signed a major disaster declaration on May 5 making all West Virginia counties eligible for this Hazard Mitigation Program.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 26-Aug-2003 17:02:47