Title
2015 Landslide Property Acquisition-Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Presenter:
Bret Waters, Deputy Chief of Staff
Jen Vance, Grants Manager
Body
Summary:
This presentation will include an overview of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and current status of the landslide property acquisitions related to the 2015 spring storms and Presidential Disaster Declaration, DR-4229. Representatives from the State of Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will also be in attendance to present the status of the grant application process and to answer any questions with regard to the program. The State has provided two documents for Council review; (1) a letter from the State of Colorado to FEMA Region VIII requesting a strategic use of grant programs to maximize the utilization of funds for landslide acquisitions, as well as the State’s suggested path forward, and (2) detail further describing the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
Previous Council Action:
N/A
Background:
Heavy rains that plagued Colorado Springs during spring and summer 2015 saturated slopes and caused significant damage to public infrastructure and prompted the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue a Major Disaster Declaration on July 16, 2015 (“Colorado Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4229)”). The heavy rains also triggered several landslides in very isolated areas on the city’s west side that were later reported to the City.
The landslides remain active and could experience further movement. Unfortunately, land movement is often an uninsured loss for property owners. In an effort to provide assistance and to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures, the City filed a applications for the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), and an the FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program (PDM) on behalf of impacted property owners through the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The grant programs are competitive, and therefore are not guaranteed funding.
The City has modeled the acquisition process after acquisitions performed in 2000-2006 under similar circumstances involving land movement. Community meetings were held in February 2016 for affected property owners to learn about the program, and opt in to the grant application. Subsequently, the Office of Emergency Management performed evaluations of individual properties to determine those eligible for inclusion within the grant applications based on damage sustained, or anticipation of damage, due to landslide activity. At this time, both the HMGP and PDM grant applications have been submitted to the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for consideration and funding determination.
Financial Implications:
The City has applied for two grant programs, HMGP and PDM, with a total anticipated project cost of $16.2 million. Each program requires a 25% local match, equaling a total of approximately $4.1 million. It is not anticipated that any cash match will be provided by the City, however in-kind contribution of staff time and operating expenses will be used to offset the local match requirement.
Board/Commission Recommendation:
N/A
Stakeholder Process:
Community meetings were held to inform affected property owners of the application process, the damage criteria, how to opt in to the program, and the anticipated length of time between application and acquisition.
Alternatives:
N/A
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
N/A
Summary of Ordinance Language
N/A