FEMA Approves Over $500,000 In Grant Funds For The City Of Overland Park
Release Date: April 7, 2000
Release Number: R7-00-11
» 2000 Region VII News Releases
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that more than $500,000 ($588,583) in federal funds has been made available to the city of Overland Park for a project that will reduce the risks of future flood losses.
John A. Miller, director of FEMA's regional office in Kansas City, Mo., said that the funds would be provided through FEMA's Unmet Needs Program to purchase and demolish seven residential structures that have had repetitive flood damage.
"FEMA's goal is to help reduce the potential of future flood damage and the corresponding human suffering," Miller said. "Kansas communities continue to join in this partnership in a concerted effort to develop disaster resistant communities."
The city of Overland Park is located within Johnson County, a newly designated "Project Impact Community".
The $588,583 grant represents FEMA's contribution to the project. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $692,541.
The state of Kansas, through the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, and the local community will administer and disperse the federal funds. The state determines which projects are submitted to FEMA for funding. The local units of government submit the projects to the state and determine the order in which the individual structures are purchased.
The city's goals for this voluntary acquisition project include public safety and floodplain management. This project will remove families out of harms way, reduce the risks to emergency workers, and help the community meet their responsibilities for floodplain management and stay in good standing with the National Flood Insurance Program. When the acquisition project is complete the city plans on using the land for open space.
Last Modified: Friday, 12-Dec-2003 15:14:41