CONTRIBUTIONS BY JESSICA SHORTEN BY NICHAELA SHAHEEN & LIZZY SPANGLER
Also of note
Diving in deeper
Lumbley said substantial damage determina- tions are enforced by FEMA, and homes that are considered substantially damaged must come into flood plain compliance. Ways to become compliant include demolition, elevation or opening up the bottom floor of a two-story house to allow water to flow through. Through its Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, FEMA does provide some funding for these projects. However, Lumbley said she believes flood plain compliance doesn’t equal safety. “Just because you’re above it does not guaran- tee that you’re not going to flood again,” Lumbley said. “Maybe you are above water, and maybe you don’t flood. But now you’re an island. And what happens if you have a medical emergency? … If we could just remove the home, we don’t have to worry about anyone being in life danger.”
One recovery option residents might be eligible for is a home buyout. Montgomery County buys out previously flooded homes through programs associated with FEMA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Lumbley said. Since 2020, the county has spent $28.72 mil- lion buying out 124 houses through four FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance programs and two HUD Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery programs, according to data provided by Lumbley. Through those six programs, 15 houses have been bought out in River Plantation.
Resident Jimmy Lee, whose house has a retention wall and is built elevated 8 feet higher than his surrounding neighbors, said he’s seen many families move out due to the damages caused by the flooding of Brandon Road and the surrounding streets. “My neighbor bought the house next door for his daughter,” Lee said. “After it flooded the first time, they rebuilt. But now with this last flood, they moved out and left the house gutted from inside.” Lee said he and his wife didn’t experience any flooding, unlike the other houses on his street. But for homeowners like Calderon, she said making a decision on what to do next comes with challenges because her house has been consid- ered substantially damaged by Montgomery County.
Lumbley said after a flooding event, her office gets more calls from people about buyouts.
“River Plantation is really popular because we’ve purchased so many [homes] out there, people are aware that it’s there,” Lumbley said.
River Plantation buyout locations
Going forward
option. It’s probably the way to go.” Meanwhile, residents like Calderon— whose home is on the market—are still rebuilding. “It is what it is. We’re rebuilding. We’re back in our house. ... But this is going to happen again. This is not the last time this is going to happen,” she said. “My husband loves this house. He doesn’t want to move.”
On Sept. 23, FEMA selected Montgomery County’s 2023 Flood Mitigation Assistance application that will provide $2.2 million for seven home elevations in the county. Lumbley said the county is working through the award and obligation process. “We haven’t done elevation in Montgomery County,” Lumbley said. “We’ll see how it works to see if it is a continued, viable option. But I think buyouts, really, it’s the final mitigation
STONEWALL JACKSON DR.
ROBERT E. LEE DR.
WEST FORK SAN JACINTO RIVER
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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