ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — Almost five years after flooding damaged homes in northern St. Charles County, more than $15 million in federal funds will be used for buyouts for some homeowners in the area.
In a news release, the county announced it sent out letters to 947 residential property owners that might be eligible for the buyout. If they are interested in a possible buyout, the owners are encouraged to complete an expression of interest form included in the letter to start the process.
The eligible homes are in St. Charles County, Portage Des Sioux, West Alton, and limited parts of St. Charles City. The area was hit by flooding in 2019.
According to the release, the $15.7 million is only enough to buy out about 100 homes in the area.
“If you are interested in selling your home and moving out of the flood zone, complete the form included with the letter," Robert Myers, the county's division director of planning and zoning, said in the press release. "There is a federal process the County must follow, and not everyone who is interested in selling can be bought out, because there is limited funding available. The completed form is the first step.”
The homes that are bought out will be demolished and the land will be converted to open space.
Myers said the buyouts are what's known as "mutually voluntary," which means the buyer and the seller must agree to participate.
"We have a number of priorities and criteria that we're using in order spend our money the best that we can," he said.
Properties must meet one of the following criteria to be eligible for the buyout:
- Primary residence, residential owner-occupied home at the time of the flood event, and is the current property owner.
- This also includes owner-occupants when they are:
- Heirs and assigns of a deceased owner-occupant in 2019 and are eligible owners.
- Deployed military personnel that are owners.
- Primary residence, residential owner-occupied with up to three residential tenant units within the same structure as the owner-occupant
The following properties will NOT be eligible:
- Properties that were second homes at the time of the event.
- Properties that have been sold since the 2019 flood and now have a different owner.
The county, according to Myers, is hopeful demolition could begin at the end of 2024.
"We have to plan carefully to ensure that we can continue growth, but in a way that's not going to put people in harm's way," he said.
Myers said this grant is all about looking toward the future.
"The purpose is to demolish the home, create permanent open space, and then take people out of harm's way for the next flood," he said.
If you want to sell your home, go to this website or call 636-200-1933.
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