Fort Worth Officials Mull Plan To Buy Flood-Prone Homes
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - The City of Fort Worth on Tuesday night will be discussing a plan that would put them in the home-buying business. The proposal is for the city to purchase at least a few dozen flood-prone houses in the Arlington Heights neighborhood, if the owners are willing to sell.
Flooding has caused headaches in this area for decades, making homes hard to live in or rent out. The neighborhood was built half a century ago on a creek bed, but drainage repairs have not been strong enough to stop water from raging down the street and onto properties during times of intense rainfall.
Despite the drainage fixes, just this past summer, residents in the neighborhood found themselves under four feet of water yet again. "It did not work," resident Karen Abrams had said. "It is rapid and rolling through backyards and driveways. They need to get this crap fixed. Period."
At the time, Fort Worth city council member Dennis Shingleton explained that the drainage repairs were only designed to stop flooding during normal rains, and that no fix was available for torrential downpours. "When you get 3.7 inches of rain in one hour, very difficult to plan for that," he said.
The City of Fort Worth is thinking about applying for a FEMA grant to help out. That money would allow the city to buy those homes which frequently fall victim to flash flooding, and then demolish them. Once the homes are torn down, the city plans to turn those properties into green spaces, built to allow floodwaters to flow through without causing damage or injury.
Those green spaces would be designed and managed by the city. A similar plan was discussed eight years ago, but residents at the time refused to sell their homes. According to the proposed plan, only homeowners who choose to accept the offer will be included in the program. The city will not force any residents to vacate.
The Arlington Heights neighborhood is located just southwest of the Fort Worth Cultural District, and at least 30 homes in the area could be eligible for the proposed plan. But there has already been debate between neighbors -- some are happy to see the city take action while others are concerned about what the program might mean for the look of the neighborhood.
The Fort Worth City Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday night to discuss the plan and decide if they should apply for the financial assistance from FEMA. Other options will also be reviewed, but there are no details about what alternative plans may be on the table.