<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4coxaE_1GuOuNtb00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4coxaE_1GuOuNtb00" width="1200" height="630" >REGIONAL—Sioux County has taken an important step forward in its ongoing flood recovery efforts, but obstacles to progress remain.Two years after historic flooding swept across the region, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced more than $175,000 in funding for the cost of demolishing seven homes in the flood zone.The homes are located on unincorporated land in Sioux County, and they will be acquired by the county from willing property owners included in the county’s buyout program.“This piece of funding is devoted to demolition, and then asbestos inspection and abatement would be a part of that,” said Sioux County zoning director Shane Walter. “The other piece would be for the actual purchase of homes — to pull them out of the flood zone.”The cost of acquiring the properties will be covered by FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which awarded Sioux County $2.87 million in early September.The properties in question are mostly clustered near Rock Valley, but one is located near Alton, where some properties were damaged after the Floyd River surged to historic heights in late June of 2024.“We’re purchasing those homes, and then we’re going to demolish them and turn that into green space in perpetuity,” Walter said.The federal program is designed to help communities protect against future losses to life and property due to natural disasters, and it imposes tight restrictions on how the properties can be used.No structures will be erected on the properties once they are acquired by the county.<h2>‘We’re just waiting’</h2>Walter said the county is ready to move forward with the process of acquiring and demolishing properties, but some administrative hurdles remain to be cleared.“I’ve got RFPs ready to go. In fact, they’ve been ready to go for some time. I’m just waiting for the Homeland Security folks to give me the go-ahead,” Walter said.Once the county can proceed with requests for proposals, a demolition contractor will be selected. The total cost of acquiring and demolishing the properties will reach nearly $4 million in Sioux County.When FEMA announces funding for a project, the amount represents the project’s total cost, which is shared by federal, state, and city governments. FEMA’s Public Assistance Program reimburses recipients for 75 percent of the total eligible costs, and the state of Iowa steps in to cover 10 percent. The city’s share is 15 percent.Sioux County’s share of the buyout program will be covered by a Community Block Development Grant administered by the state of Iowa.Walter said the stipulations attached to the grant funding are stringent at the federal and state levels, and the county is taking the necessary steps to keep the process moving.“We’re just waiting to clear up some of the administrative pieces,” he said. “Once that’s done, we’re looking at maybe 90 days to wrap this up.“Maybe I’m a little optimistic there,” he added. “But I don’t think it’ll take that long once we get things rolling.”Walter was just informed two weeks ago that he needed to complete the training to become a certified grant manager.“There were a few boxes I wasn’t aware had to be ticked off,” he said.<h2>‘We’re getting it done’</h2>Walter speculated that shake-ups in the leadership of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security may have contributed to sluggish or unclear communications from the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.“There were some things held up with a lot of uncertainty at the federal level about who was going to be in control, and whether they would be making changes, and they’re still kind of dealing with that,” Walter said. “What we’re waiting on are things that Homeland failed to provide us up front.“I’m not trying to throw them under the bus,” he added. “They’re actually good people — really good people — and I’ve enjoyed working with them. They’ve been responsive. I believe a lot of the problem is at the federal level.”Walter said Sioux County also isn’t as high on the priority list as harder-hit communities like Rock Valley.“Their priority has been places like Rock Valley, where they’ve got 130 homes versus our seven,” he said. “That had to be their priority, and I totally get that.”Despite bureaucratic challenges, Walter is confident the county is poised to proceed once he receives the all-clear from state and federal agencies.“There are some things that we weren’t informed of — things we had to have that, had we known ahead of time, we’d be much further ahead of this thing,” Walter said. “But we’re getting it done, and it will get done.”</div></body>

Block Source: nwestiowa.com

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

REGIONAL—Sioux County has taken an important step forward in its ongoing flood recovery efforts, but obstacles to progress remain. Two years after historic flooding swept across the region, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced more than $175,000 in funding for the cost of demolishing seven homes in the flood zone.

Sioux County makes progress on buyout program

NewsBreak

REGIONAL—Sioux County has taken an important step forward in its ongoing flood recovery efforts, but obstacles to progress remain. Two years after historic

Sioux County makes progress on buyout program

Comments