St. Joseph County seeks buyout of flood-damaged homes in Jewell Woods neighborhood
That's because the properties in the neighborhood just south of
The county
In the coming months, the county plans to assess flood damage of properties to determine which ones could be eligible for buyouts. Along with reviewing damages from the
The county will need to file its grant application by August. It could take more than a year for funding to be awarded for buying and demolishing homes. The grant would cover 75 percent of the cost and the county would cover the rest.
A buyout would be welcomed by Elmerick, whose home on
"It's great to see the county is looking at some type of way to reimburse people who had losses," Elmerick said.
Elmerick's properties are among 23 in the Jewell Woods area that are included in a preliminary "buyout area" proposed by the county, according to letter sent by county commissioners to the state homeland security department.
The list includes properties near Phillips Ditch that were determined to be vulnerable to flooding, based on a county-commissioned study of the area's watershed that was completed last year. Properties could be added or removed from the list, however, as the county reviews who is interested in buyouts.
Property owners wouldn't be forced to sell homes, and properties would be bought by the county at their fair market value prior to flood damages. Values would be determined by appraisals.
After buying and demolishing homes, the county would place deed restrictions on properties to prevent future construction.
County Engineer
"The watershed is constrained by the embankment and surrounding land," she said. "Purchasing parcels along the ditch and returning them back to open green space would provide additional storage and capacity."
Clark added that the Jewell Woods neighborhood doesn't need to be designated by the
Rice, the attorney, didn't respond to a call or email Wednesday seeking comment.
In his letter to property owners, Rice states that the area should have been designated as a floodplain.
"Historically, this area has had a high water table -- not unlike some of the adjacent areas to the west which have standing water and marsh-land," the letter states. "Clearly, this area should have been designated a flood plain by the
Because the area wasn't properly designated, Rice states, "development was not only permitted in the Jewell area, but mortgage companies did not require homeowners to purchase flood insurance."
He added that "while it was first thought that the recent construction of
After the
The county's study of the Phillips Ditch watershed, however, concluded that the
Rice continues to represent residents affected by flooding in the Jewell Woods area, Clark said, but he is not being paid by the county for his assistance with the buyout effort.
574-235-6070
@Tbooker24
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