BARRE, Vt. (WCAX) – After last week’s flooding, some Vermont homeowners face big questions about whether they should rebuild damaged homes or seek a buyout from the government. But dozens of families are still waiting on buyouts from last year’s flooding, and those can come at a big cost to communities.
Kristina King took time during her lunch break to show us flood damage in her backyard from the past two years. The home on Scampini Square in Barre is in the crosshairs of the Stevens Branch River and also has a spring underneath which created a sinkhole in the backyard.
“Everything happened so fast and it rose so quick, we were afraid we wouldn’t have a lower level to move back into,” King said.
Her landlord is trying to sell the home. So far, there are no takers.
Properties like this in flood zones could be eligible for buyouts, with the federal government paying the owner full market value. However, the buyout has to be approved by the local government and by FEMA.
Since last summer’s flood, only one property in Vermont has been approved for a buyout while 57 others are under review.
So far, the city of Barre has approved about 20 buyouts, either those damaged in floods or those at risk of being damaged in a landslide. But city leaders say they have to be careful with how many properties they buy out because it can have unintended consequences.
“The purpose of the program is to help the city as a whole and to help the municipality recover and affect mitigation efforts,” Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon said.
Lauzon says once a property is bought out, it comes off the tax rolls and can never be developed again. Even a handful of buyouts can put pressure on the grand list and city services.
“We sympathize with the homeowner but we have to make the decisions that are in the best interest of the city as a whole,” the mayor said.
Gov. Phil Scott this week said the state is in talks with our congressional leaders to try to allow more flexibility in FEMA rules to allow bought-out properties to be redeveloped if flood mitigation steps are taken.
“I would suspect that this impacts more than just Vermont and many other states. We’ll work at this and maybe come up with something that will work for everyone,” said Scott, R-Vermont.
Back in Barre, King says she’s looking for a place to live out of the floodplain, and adds that something needs to be done about Barre’s flooding problems.
“Is it really worth putting money into a house that’s probably going to flood again?” she said.