After Nearly Three Years, Hurricane Buyouts to Begin
Fayette County Commissioners finalized a contract last week to begin buyouts of homes that were destroyed by Hurricane Harvey flood three years ago.
After the flood in 2017, the U.S. Congress appropriated $28 billion toward long-term recovery efforts in areas hit hardest by the hurricane, including buyout programs to ensure no one ever builds homes or businesses in areas that flooded. Late last year, the State of Texas finally allocated nearly $9 million in grant funds for the buyout program in Fayette County. At that time, Fayette County entered into a contract with the company Grantworks to administer the buyout program.
At a meeting last Thursday, Tyler Smith of Grantworks asked Commissioners to make a few administrative changes to the contract which he said would allow the buyout money to begin flowing from the State to Fayette County. Most of the properties eligible for buyouts are located within the City of La Grange. La Grange will conduct its own buyout program with the County acting as an intermediary for the funds.
About 10 properties eligible for buyouts are located in the unincorporated area around the Frisch Auf! Country Club. Fayette County will directly handle those buyouts. The program involves purchasing the properties, demolishing any remaining structures and then placing legal restrictions on the properties to prevent future development.
“I would really ask you, Tyler, to help us with the ones in the county,” County Judge Joe Weber said at the meeting.
The homes along Country Club Drive have sat vacant since the flood. County officials ordered the property owners to cease repairs back in 2017. Some of the homes are open to the elements. Debris still lays scattered in some of the yards.
“Those in the Frisch Auf! area, I was out there yesterday, and boy, they are really close to a public health issue,” Weber said. “We’ve got to get that stuff out of here.”
Smith did not give Commissioners a date when the money might start to arrive. Weber told the Record after the meeting that the County may consider spending its own money to begin the demolition process rather than continue waiting for the grant money to arrive.
Grantworks stands to make about $900,000 for administering the buyout program, which involves contacting the property owners and negotiating settlements.