Elevating your home above future flooding (last day to apply for grant: May 6) (Houston: 2015, insurance)

[elnina]

The City of Houston, in partnership with the Texas Water Development Board, is applying for a FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Grant Program. Through this grant program, FEMA can provide funding to assist with the cost of elevation of flood prone homes, with highest priority to Severe Repetitive Loss properties, Repetitive Loss properties and properties damaged in the 2015 Memorial Day, 2015 Halloween or 2016 Tax Day flood events.
To be eligible for inclusion in this upcoming application you must have a current National Flood Insurance Program policy. The grant program is voluntary and not guaranteed for funding. A participating property owner may withdraw at any stage prior to the initiation of the elevation project.
FEMA Opens Disaster Recovery Centers in Houston Area Following Devastating Floods


Is any of you thinking about applying for the Grant?
The project cost approx $100K. Federal/homeowner split is 90/10
I wonder how it works for older homes with old plumbing? Will it cause cracks on walls?

[shortel]

yup lots of people are in for a big surprise about having to raise their houses. big $$$$$$$$

[Dopo]

Grant = socialism

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Grant = socialism

Nah, just a huge waste of tax dollars when the homes should really be torn down.

[travelguy_73]

Originally Posted by TheMoreYouKnow

Nah, just a huge waste of tax dollars when the homes should really be torn down.

Fair value buy outs for Meyerland lots (not including the structure) will run an average of $350k (seems like a reasonable amount given what the lots are selling for right now). The cost to raise a home out of the flood plain will be about $150k. Not saying that this means it's definitely cheaper to raise homes instead of buy them out, but it certainly makes a decent case.

[studiobtm]

Originally Posted by TheMoreYouKnow

Nah, just a huge waste of tax dollars when the homes should really be torn down.

Isn't that pretty much the definition of socialism? Some bureaucrat or small committee deciding to spend everyone's else's money on some brilliant scheme that the market, which is nothing more than the collective wisdom of all the people, would not do.

Finite treasure. Infinite number of worthy problems to be solved.

And when you run out of other people's money then you start printing it. And that's good for 10-20 years.

And then?

You either back off like the North Europeans did or you reboot the economy with great suffering especially to the poor and those on fixed incomes.

[houston-nomad]

Everyone hates entitlements, except the ones that THEY get.

[elnina]

^^^ Yeah, really. I posted an info, and got back bunch of politics...
Money spent on elevating an expensive or historic home, makes more sense than money spent on ... wars or elections.

[testmo]

I know of people that have completed the paperwork to apply. Apparently some houses just cant be raised due to the shape of the home. There are some homes in meyerland that went through this process already and some are in the middle of it. Looks daunting. They may end up getting a house worth a million out of it in the end with area appreciation though

[Lulukoko]

Can u tell us more about the process? What aspects are daunting, what it costs, what home shapes or home features don't fair well when elevating? Do you get to choose the style in which they elevate? Anyone get as far as meeting with the approved contractors? Did they seem competent and professional enough to warrant your trust and putting your home in their hands? Just looking for more info on the grant process,thanks!