By David Ball
david.ball@panews.com
One way or another, there should be a flurry of construction following the flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey — even for homes that were built decades ago.
At the Jefferson County Commissioners Court on Monday afternoon, Jeff Branick, Jefferson County judge, said his biggest concern are houses built from 1960s to the 1980s — prior to the requirement of building at the base flood elevation plus one foot — won’t be able to be raised, particularly if they are on a slab. Therefore, new construction will be required.
Steve Stafford, engineering staffing director for the environmental control department, said a home with more than three feet of water is typically 50 percent damaged.
Some homes in low-lying areas may qualify for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazardous Mitigation Buyout Program.
A building official or floodplain manager, according to information from the National Flood Insurance Program, makes the decision about a structure being “substantially damaged” at a local government level, generally.
Substantial damage applies to a structure in a special flood hazard area or and area with a one percent annual chance for flooding for which the total cost of repairs is 50 percent or more of the structure’s market value before the disaster occurred, regardless of the cause of damage.
For example, if a structure’s market value before the damage was $200,000 and repairs are estimated to cost $120,000, that structure is substantially damaged. Land value is excluded from the determination.
If a building in a floodplain is determined by the local official to be substantially damaged, it must be brought into compliance with local floodplain manage regulations.
Owners may decide to:
Elevate their structures, or change them in some other way to comply with those local floodplain regulations and avoid future losses.
Relocate or demolish the structure.
Flood-proof a non-residential structure.
In the meantime, FEMA will allow the Texas General Land Office to administer a temporary housing program. This could bring trailers into the area. This is the first time the federal agency has allowed a state agency to mange the program.
“I see some signs of encouragement,” Branick said. “Housing assistance should move more quickly than before.
“I’ve never seen FEMA let temporary housing be handled at the state level. It will be more efficient with less fraud.”
Community Development Block Grants will soon be distributed for those who have applied with FEMA. Fifty percent of the CDBGs will go to low- to moderate-income households and the other 50 percent to those with urgent need.
He cautioned, however, before any money can be spent, permits must be in place in compliance with FEMA maps. Branick also cautioned homeowners to not to give money for construction to a contractor until the job is finished.
The county will work “hand in hand” with federal and state agencies.
“We’ll be happy to be in one accord and we won’t have to reinvent the wheel,” he said.
Branick said there is a FEMA program called PREP where homeowners can make basic repairs to their homes that will conform to building codes. Branick said it won’t be anything like crown molding or granite countertops, just the basics.
“I don’t want people to get unreasonable expectations. It will make homes habitable,” he said.