|
The Floodplain Acquisition Program has become an integral part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services' Flood Mitigation Program. The purchase and demolition of flood-prone structures in the FEMA-regulated floodplain is a proven method to remove the potential for flood loss. By removing the buildings at highest risk of flooding, Charlotte-Mecklenburg avoids flood losses that would total in the millions of dollars every year.
Property owners are not forced to sell. They are offered fair market value for their property. If their flood-prone property is bought through this program, the sellers must sign agreements stating that they will not buy another home or business in a regulated floodplain.
Read our Floodplain Buyout Program Brochure for the general public.
|
Firefighters often conduct training at
homes that are bought and demolished
through this program
|
Since 2000, Storm Water Services and FEMA have purchased and removed nearly 250 commercial and residential structures from Charlotte-Mecklenburg FEMA-regulated floodplains with an average of 35% local and 65% Federal funding.
See a list of Floodplain Acquisition project sites by neighborhood.
Storm Water Services generally seeks to maximize acquisition funding by pursuing grant opportunities. Historically, the Floodplain Acquisition Program has been very successful in obtaining federal funds through three grant programs:
-
PDM – Pre-Disaster Mitigation grants
-
FMA – Flood Mitigation Assistance grants
-
HMGP – Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Most grant programs require a local match. The match may be "in kind" services but often requires a local financial match. Storm Water Services has consistently matched local storm water utility fees with federal grant funds to maximize the impact of the acquisition program.
 |
Grant application procedures are often cumbersome requiring lots of information. A typical PDM grant package may take a grant writer two to three weeks to assemble if they have the required data in a FEMA acceptable format. A typical grant application requires maps, community information, financial statements, property information, owner information, hydrologic and hydraulic information, and environmental documentation.
Grant applications may be hard copy (traditional) or submitted electronically (E-Grants). |