Assistance remains for Harvey victims
It has been a year and a half since Hurricane Harvey devastated the coast, making landfall Aug. 25, 2017, and displacing more than 30,000 people and prompting more than 17,000 rescues. In a four-day period, many areas received more than 40-inches of rain. There are plenty of homeowners still struggling to complete necessary and vital repairs to their homes. There are national and state programs available to further assist those families that are still impacted by the disaster. The Texas General Land Office has created a new program, Community Development and Revitalization (GLO-CDR), also known as Homeowner Reimbursement Program.
“The focus of this program is to help people who have damage from Harvey but did not receive enough assistance or haven’t been able to complete the repairs themselves,” explained Grimes County Emergency Management Coordinator David Lilly.
Texas General Land Office Commissioner George P. Bush had a simple mission statement, “We work to rebuild communities, to put Texans back in their homes, and to help businesses recover after the trauma of disaster.”
The program is designed to allow Grimes County to purchase homes that have actual physical structure damage or damages resulting from mold infestation, making the home unlivable.
Three key criteria for a possible buyout scenario include: applicants must be the homeowner and own the property where the house is located, have proof that damages occurred as a result of Harvey, such as a FEMA claim, and the home must be in a FEMA defined flood zone.
“We are currently conducting surveys of all areas in the county we know were affected by Harvey,” stated Lilly. “If any homeowners have questions, they can contact me, and I can answer their questions. The qualifications are set by the state so we don’t have any control over that, but we can help them find out if they are eligible.”
Lilly said the county will attempt to purchase all property that is affected by the flood zone, including property with homes or structures on them, as well as empty lots.
“The homeowner will have the opportunity to remove any items they want from the home or property, but once the county closes on the sale the owner will have to relinquish the property,” explained Lilly. “The county will contract a company to demolish anything on the property and return the property to its natural state before anything was built on it, which we call green space. This property will be held by the county indefinitely and never developed again. Most of the areas we are referring to have already begun reverting to a natural state, because they are wet or swamp lands. Residents living there are potentially in harm’s way.”
Lilly said that property owners do have the right to refuse the buyout, but he urges any owners that are being considered for the program to strongly consider the buyout option.
“Properties that we are referring to most likely haven’t been developed or won’t be able to be developed because they are in a major flood zone that can reach water levels several feet high and the value will continue to drop,” said Lilly.
According to Lilly the buyout offer amount will be based on the appraisal of the property prior to Hurricane Harvey, which would be the 2017 appraisal value.
“I’ve looked at some of the property that will be eligible in this program and the property value has already dropped since 2017,” said Lilly.
In addition to the buyout of property containing homes, Lilly said there is additional money to help a family relocate to another residence and, hopefully, remain living within the county.
Lilly said he wanted to stress one key fact, “We have the option that if we wanted to take the property by eminent domain, we could; but Grimes County will not do that. It is strictly voluntary, but I will do my best to persuade people to sell but if they choose not to that is their choice.”
Required documents
for the GLO-CDR
•Proof of ownership: such as property tax records, deed or title, among other forms including GLO Affidavit of Ownership.
•Primary Residence: (Aug. 25, 2017) Homestead Tax Exemption, IRS Form 1098 Mortgage Interest Deduction, Voter Registration Card, or six months of consecutive bills before Aug. 25, 2017. This is to ensure this was the primary residence of the homeowner during the time of impact and is not a secondary or rental property.
•Income: latest tax return
•Evidence of Repair: post-repair pictures and receipts or invoices, bank account statements or credit card statements. Repairs must have been made within a year of the storm making landfall between Aug. 25, 2017, and Aug. 24, 2018.
•Photo ID: valid driver’s license, passport or state/government issued ID.
•Property Taxes and Child Support: must be current if applicable.
•Harvey Damage Evidence: Award/denial letters from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), SBA or Insurance; or an inspection report (at owner’s expense); or alternative, but GLO is required.
•Verification of Flood Insurance: if in a floodplain and received prior assistance.
The GLO-CDR offers reimbursement for a variety of repairs including, removal of construction debris, structural repairs, entrance and exit doors, windows and roofs. Essential appliances such as HVAC, refrigerator, stove/ oven, dishwasher and water heater are also available for reimbursement.
Other reimbursable items include utility connections for plumbing, electrical and gas systems; septic or sewer system repair; well or water system repair; and permits and inspection fees.
Lilly said he anticipates contacts for buyouts will begin taking place in May. The county will contact homeowners that are eligible, but homeowners who have questions regarding eligibility may contact David Lilly 936-873-4404 or via email at David.lilly@grimescountytexas.gov.