SLIDELL, La. — The Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA), the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently approved funding to acquire 22 severe repetitive loss properties in the city of Slidell.

“By acquiring these flood prone homes the state’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is working to reduce damage from future storms and providing these homeowners with an opportunity to rebuild safer,” said LRA Board Member Tim Coulon. 

The structures are on the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) severe repetitive loss list of residential structures with excessive flood loss. Acquisition of the properties will prevent future flood damages and health and safety risks for homeowners and potential rescuers.

As defined by the NFIP, severe repetitive loss homes have suffered damages of $1,000 or more on at least four occasions or suffered damages of more than 50 percent of their value on two or more occasions.  About 1,700 homes, or about one-third of the severely and repetitively damaged homes in America, are in Louisiana. 

“The City of Slidell is to be commended on its decision to use acquisition as an effective mitigation method,” said Casey Levy, State Hazard Mitigation Officer. “These properties will be converted into green space in perpetuity, thereby eliminating the possibility of future flood claims.”

One of the state’s top priorities is mitigation planning. In November 2005, the LRA authorized the use of $250 million in HMGP funds to help parishes prevent damage from future disasters. In accordance with the State Hazard Mitigation Program, the LRA directed GOHSEP to assign the first hazard mitigation funding available after hurricanes Katrina and Rita to parish governments. To access hazard mitigation funds through the state HMGP program, parishes submit proposals to GOHSEP. GOHSEP then completes a state review and forwards selected applications to FEMA. The funds, which are provided under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, require a 25 percent match from parish governments or state agencies.

Approved by GOHSEP and FEMA, hazard mitigation plans enable communities to take actions to reduce or eliminate long-term risks to people and property from natural hazards and their effects. Acquisition of the properties will eliminate the need to provide emergency response services, subsidized flood insurance and federal disaster assistance to the residents.   

“By purchasing these residential properties, the city of Slidell is utilizing an effective program designed to move people and property away from high-risk areas to reduce disaster losses,” said Jim Stark, FEMA’s director of the Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office.

FEMA obligated more than $1.7 million to buy these 22 properties. When projects are obligated by FEMA through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the funds are transferred to a Smartlink account. This allows the grantee, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, to draw down the funds as quickly as possible. The state may require additional information from the subgrantee before disbursing the funds. The project is expected to be completed in three years.

Louisiana’s hazard mitigation program is supported by local, state, federal and citizen partnerships.  As with all acquisitions made through this program, these property owners have expressed an interest in selling their properties to the parish and have signed voluntary participation forms. The decision to buy damaged property is made by the local government and property owners, and these acquisitions are consistent with Louisiana’s overall mitigation strategy.   

Once the acquisition project is approved by the state and FEMA, the community uses federal funds to purchase the homes. The land is then restricted to open space, recreation or wetlands in perpetuity. After the local governments become the new owners of these properties, they become responsible for all maintenance and upkeep. These properties will no longer be eligible for any future federal disaster assistance.

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration, to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. 

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated South Louisiana, claiming 1,464 lives, destroying more than 200,000 homes and 18,000 businesses. The LRA is the planning and coordinating body that was created in the aftermath of these storms by Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco to lead one of the most extensive rebuilding efforts in the world. The LRA is a 33-member body which is coordinating across jurisdictions, supporting community recovery and resurgence, ensuring integrity and effectiveness and planning for the recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana.

GOHSEP will ensure that the state is prepared to respond to, and recover from, all natural and man-made emergencies. This office will provide the leadership and support to reduce the loss of life and property through an all-hazards emergency management program of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. 

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.