Flood-damaged homes in City of Binghamton could receive federal buyouts
Structures in five neighborhoods may qualify
7:10 PM, Jan. 13, 2012 | Comments
The South Side neighborhood of Duke Street and Baltimore Avenue between
Conklin Avenue and the Susquehanna River is one of five city neighborhoods
being considered for potential buyouts from flood damage. / NANCY DOOLING / Staff Photo
Written by
Nancy Dooling
BINGHAMTON, NY -- City officials are targeting five neighborhoods where flood-ravaged structures may qualify for buyouts and demolition.
First, they need to know if property owners in the neighborhoods damaged by flood waters in September are interested -- or can afford the 25 percent of the total costs they'll have to pay -- said Tarik Abdelazim, the city's director of planning, housing and community development.
As of now, the city has no money available to help property owners meet 25 percent of the bill, he said.
"We are trying to come up with some money somewhere," Abdelazim said. "We are looking for other federal and state resources, and we'll definitely help the owners out in this situation if we can. But right now, we don't have the resources."
The city is looking at between 12 and 20 structures in two West Side neighborhoods, a portion of downtown, a South Side neighborhood and a section of the First Ward.
Under the buyout program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburses the property owners 75 percent of the total eligible costs, including pre-disaster fair market value, appraisals, closing costs and demolition costs. Money will be awarded on a competitive basis.
The city is targeting neighborhoods that have seen repeated flood damage since at least 2004, Abdelazim said. Properties that qualify for buyouts are demolished and turned into green space, such as parks and public gardens. The properties cannot be developed again for residences or businesses.
City officials have been told by the State Emergency Management Organization, the New York state arm of FEMA, that federal buyout money is limited and the city should focus on neighborhoods with clusters of structures that have seen repeated flood damage rather than individual properties.
These include the lower end of Front Street, south of Riverside Drive; Avon and Lourdes roads and Charles Place near Lourdes Hospital; the downtown area of Tudor and Varrick streets; the Duke Street and Baltimore Avenue neighborhood off Conklin Avenue and the First Ward neighborhoods around Valley Street Park, including Valley Street and Winding Way.
She loves living near the Susquehanna River on the city's West Side, but in 2006 she had two feet of flood water in her first floor.
Five years later, in September, the water crept three feet up her walls, wrecking a portion of her walls and kitchen cabinets, her flooring on the first floor, along with all her appliances, furnace and hot water heater. She wasn't able to move back in until the week before Christmas.
While her flood insurance covered $71,000 in damages, it won't pay for everything, she said. And she's still paying off a Small Business Administration loan she borrowed in 2006.
Grippen would consider a buyout, but said she needs more information about how the program works.
"I love this house. I love the neighborhood, but there's no way I can go through this again," she said.
Stacey Gould and Jim Ehmke will probably stay put at the lower end of Front Street on the city's West Side.
The couple's riverside house flooded in 2006 and again in 2011. They still haven't moved back home.
Gould said a buyout probably wouldn't make sense for them. They've been steadily working on their home -- with the help of friends and a contractor -- to make it livable again.
Anyone is invited to express interest in a buyout to city officials, but the city's best chances of getting buyout money for residents is focusing specifically on the targeted areas, Abdelazim said.
"The city won't include them in our letter of interest, unless we find a compelling case," Abdelazim said. "That could undermine the strength of our application. The state has made it very clear there are not enough resources with the needs that are out there."
There is fierce competition from other communities hit by flooding and looking for buyout money, Abdelazim said. Some, like the towns of Conklin and Union, have more experience than Binghamton with the complicated federal buyout program.
This is the first time Binghamton has applied for buyouts, Abdelazim said.
A deadline also looms. The city will need to file a letter of interest to the state and federal government before Feb. 29, Abedalzim said.
Officials are direct-mailing property owners in the five neighborhoods. And the city will schedule workshops for those interested in the buyouts.
Due to the flooding in 2006 and last September, Abdelazim estimated between 50 and 75 properties could eventually be abandoned across the city. At least 400 structures remain without electricity and/or gas service because of flood damage.
First, they need to know if property owners in the neighborhoods damaged by flood waters in September are interested -- or can afford the 25 percent of the total costs they'll have to pay -- said Tarik Abdelazim, the city's director of planning, housing and community development.
As of now, the city has no money available to help property owners meet 25 percent of the bill, he said.
"We are trying to come up with some money somewhere," Abdelazim said. "We are looking for other federal and state resources, and we'll definitely help the owners out in this situation if we can. But right now, we don't have the resources."
The city is looking at between 12 and 20 structures in two West Side neighborhoods, a portion of downtown, a South Side neighborhood and a section of the First Ward.
Under the buyout program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburses the property owners 75 percent of the total eligible costs, including pre-disaster fair market value, appraisals, closing costs and demolition costs. Money will be awarded on a competitive basis.
The city is targeting neighborhoods that have seen repeated flood damage since at least 2004, Abdelazim said. Properties that qualify for buyouts are demolished and turned into green space, such as parks and public gardens. The properties cannot be developed again for residences or businesses.
City officials have been told by the State Emergency Management Organization, the New York state arm of FEMA, that federal buyout money is limited and the city should focus on neighborhoods with clusters of structures that have seen repeated flood damage rather than individual properties.
These include the lower end of Front Street, south of Riverside Drive; Avon and Lourdes roads and Charles Place near Lourdes Hospital; the downtown area of Tudor and Varrick streets; the Duke Street and Baltimore Avenue neighborhood off Conklin Avenue and the First Ward neighborhoods around Valley Street Park, including Valley Street and Winding Way.
Weighing options
Carol Grippen has lived on the end of Laurel Avenue, which intersects with Charles Place, for about two decades.She loves living near the Susquehanna River on the city's West Side, but in 2006 she had two feet of flood water in her first floor.
Five years later, in September, the water crept three feet up her walls, wrecking a portion of her walls and kitchen cabinets, her flooring on the first floor, along with all her appliances, furnace and hot water heater. She wasn't able to move back in until the week before Christmas.
While her flood insurance covered $71,000 in damages, it won't pay for everything, she said. And she's still paying off a Small Business Administration loan she borrowed in 2006.
Grippen would consider a buyout, but said she needs more information about how the program works.
"I love this house. I love the neighborhood, but there's no way I can go through this again," she said.
Stacey Gould and Jim Ehmke will probably stay put at the lower end of Front Street on the city's West Side.
The couple's riverside house flooded in 2006 and again in 2011. They still haven't moved back home.
Gould said a buyout probably wouldn't make sense for them. They've been steadily working on their home -- with the help of friends and a contractor -- to make it livable again.
Eligibility questions
While Gould and Ehmke are within one of the five clusters, property owners outside those neighborhoods likely won't get an opportunity to have their flood-damaged homes bought out.Anyone is invited to express interest in a buyout to city officials, but the city's best chances of getting buyout money for residents is focusing specifically on the targeted areas, Abdelazim said.
"The city won't include them in our letter of interest, unless we find a compelling case," Abdelazim said. "That could undermine the strength of our application. The state has made it very clear there are not enough resources with the needs that are out there."
There is fierce competition from other communities hit by flooding and looking for buyout money, Abdelazim said. Some, like the towns of Conklin and Union, have more experience than Binghamton with the complicated federal buyout program.
This is the first time Binghamton has applied for buyouts, Abdelazim said.
A deadline also looms. The city will need to file a letter of interest to the state and federal government before Feb. 29, Abedalzim said.
Officials are direct-mailing property owners in the five neighborhoods. And the city will schedule workshops for those interested in the buyouts.
Due to the flooding in 2006 and last September, Abdelazim estimated between 50 and 75 properties could eventually be abandoned across the city. At least 400 structures remain without electricity and/or gas service because of flood damage.
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