The city of De Soto will soon purchase and demolish four flood-prone homes, using funds from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
The De Soto City Council voted 5-0 Monday to authorize City Manager Todd Melkus to purchase the four properties, seven months after the city was notified that it had been awarded state and federal funds and after completing the monthslong appraisal process.
The properties are 815 Dewitt Street owned by Dorothy Chiapelas; 811 Dewitt Street owned by Ruby McCord; 1221 Dewitt Street owned by William and Angela Davis; and 126 East Kelley Street owned by Jimmy and Cynthia Jordan.
Home on 126 East Kelley St.
The city received $844,606.25 in state and federal funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to buy and demolish the homes, and the city is responsible for a 25 percent match of $220,001.75.
Melkus said he could not divulge the buyout amounts until the sales are completed, which he expected to happen within the next month.
“The sale prices are not finalized because there is additional funding that some of them received depending on the house that they purchase to move into,” he said. “There is an additional rehousing assistance of up to $31,000 that is potentially available depending on what the resident is able to purchase if it is over their appraised value of their current home.”
Home on 1221 Dewitt St.
After the deals are finalized, the city will then solicit and award demolition bids, he said.
“After closing, I have 90 days to get the structure demolished,” Melkus said.
The properties must be restricted as open space for perpetuity.
This was the first time the city received state or federal assistance to buy out flood-prone homes, but the city has used it own funds to purchase at least 19 other properties in the floodway, including properties on Dewitt Street, according to city documents.
All the properties will become part of a natural area to aid flood mitigation and may include a walking trail, Melkus said.
Also at Monday’s meeting, the council authorized Melkus to buy vacant parcels from Chiapelas and McCord that lie between their homes and the creek. Those purchases won’t be funded with federal or state funding though, Melkus said.
Home on 811 Dewitt St.
“Since we couldn’t include this vacant lot in the buyout application (for the Hazard Mitigation Grant), I went ahead and had it appraised, and the market value of $2,500 was the conclusion of the appraisal,” he said. “We must execute this purchase separately from the buyout grant and purchase these outright.”
According to studies, the city has experienced five flood events in the past four years. The De Soto floodplain affects 354 homes, 109 commercial properties, an electrical substation, the De Soto Rural Fire Protection District and the De Soto Public Library. The depth of water in the floodplain can get as deep as 10-13 feet during a major precipitation event.
Residents or building owners who have experienced flooding may fill out a buyout interest survey at buy-in.org/sign-up. The city has applied for another round of federal funds.