FLOOD03237

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Out of Harm's Way The Missouri Buyout Program
• Date: 1/8/1996
• Prepared For: CWCB
• Prepared By: State Emergency Management Agency
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

The fiscal reality was that purchasing a comparable home outside of the
floodplain meant a purchase price 30-50% higher. This was simply beyond
the means of many affected residents, forcing many back to shovel mud and
gut their homes in anticipation of rebuilding.
The details of the buyout became known and word was quick to spread. It
was clear that this approach offered financial relief for those ready to
abandon the floodplain but with no "undue enrichment" at the cost to
taxpayers. It also wed this individual relief with the public policy objectives
of clearing a way for the rivers intent on taking everything in their paths.
However, there were still many who explored the buyout program and
decided against participating for a variety of reasons. One particular
population which can be identified is the elderly. This is the group which
may have been among the most seriously affected (physically and emotion.
ally) by the flood and recovery process.
But, many looked at the prospect of purchasing a more expensive home
with a new thirty year mortgage on a fixed income and simply saw that the
numbers did not add up. Even with relocation benefits, many felt trapped in
their paid-off but water-soaked home. With an ability to fund buyouts on an
ongoing basis, however, their heirs may likely take advantage of the pro-
gram upon their death.
The buyout offers a "win-win" situation for taxpayers and residents alike.
"It's been less than two years since President Clinton signed into law a
relocation program to move homes and businesses off the floodplains. Yet,
the people of Missouri can attest to its effectiveness. When the Missouri
River flooded in 1995, the damage to property and the loss of life was less
because, this time, we were prepared. Many of the people who had been in
the flood's path were not there.
With the assistance of the State and Federal Emergency Management
personnel, Missourians have the chance to start again without the constant
risk of being flooded out of their homes and livelihoods. At a time when
federal dollars are scarce, the buyout bill, which I was proud to offer in
1993, is a successful example of one way federal, state and local officials
can work together to lessen the tax burden for all Americans.

Obviously, this is one federal law that is making everyone happy. The
taxpayers see the burden of disaster assistance decreasing. The environ.
mentalists see clear evidence that floodplain areas are being protected.
And, people, along the banks of the Missouri especially, have a chance to
start again without the constant risk of being flooded out of their homes and
livelihoods year after year. "

.u.s. Representative Harold L. Volkmer
Missouri, 9th District

A Closer Look: An Award-Winning Relocation Program

To help flood survivors find
appropriate replacement housing
outside the floodplain, the Missouri
Buyout Program included relocation
funds through Community Develop-
ment Block Grants (CDBG).
St. Louis County used the funds
to offer special one-time relocation
grants in the amount of $5,000 to

eligible property owners in St. Louis
County.
"It was our way of getting people
into safe and sanitary housing as
quickly as possible," says Mary
Campbell, buyout coordinator for St.
Louis County. "It was also a way of
giving flood victims the incentive
and the capital to move out of the

floodplain and move on with their
lives."
St. Louis County devised specific
criteria for the grant program.
Eligible applicants had to own and
reside in St. Louis County homes
that had received at least 50%
damage or were located in the
designated buyout area.
Owner-occupants were required
to permanently relocate outside the
loo'year floodplain, either through
the purchase of a new home or by
signing a one year rental agreement
to safe and sanitary housing. Inves.
tors and owner.occupants were
required to sign a certificate of
eligibility and demolition permit for
the flooded property. Owners of
seasonal property and empty lots, as
well as those owner.occupants who
relocated within the loo-year
floodplain were not eligible for the
relocation grant.
According to Campbell, the grant
program allowed St. Louis County
time to design a buyout program
that would fit the needs of the
more than 1,000 flood-damaged
residences in the county. "The
relocation assistance program
bought us time," says Campbell.
Just as important, the program
allowed the county to track flood
victims after the buyout and study
where buyout families relocated.
The St. Louis County Flood-
plain Management Program
successfully assisted 169 families
in relocating. Of those, 164
families relocated outside of the
lOO-year floodplain. Five fami-
lies chose new residences within
the floodplain and were ineligible
for the $5,000 relocation assis-
tance grant.
St. Louis County received an
award for Excellence in Commu-
nity Planning and Development
from Housing and Urban Devel-
opment (HUD) for the county's
flood relocation program.