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Home buyout eases drain on wallets

Cutting a check to flood-prone homeowners ultimately helps the city and many who pay flood insurance.

By LORRI HELFAND
Published August 20, 2005

LARGO - A bunch of sandbags are stacked in front of James Lewis' garage, just in case there's a downpour.

Without them, the rain might seep through Lewis' garage or front door and creep into his kitchen and living room, leaving pools of water, sopping carpet and drenched furniture.

"At one time, it happened to me twice in eight days," he said.

But soon, Lewis, 56, won't have to worry about torrential rains.

The city plans to lay out $127,500 to buy his 825-square-foot home and remove it from the property. The sale will give Lewis enough cash to buy a dream home in the Florida Panhandle.

But Lewis isn't the only one to benefit. If Largo keeps flood-prone homes like Lewis' to a minimum, city residents can save about $123,450 on flood insurance. That's about $49 per policy, city planner Jamal Block said.

Homes like Lewis' can leave the city with few options to solve flooding problems, Public Works director Chris Kubala said.

"The way the ground is configured, if you get a heavy rain, no matter what you do, the water does not drain off. It's less expensive to buy the home and remove it than to do very expensive drainage projects that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars," he said.

Since 1973, the city has been a member of the National Flood Insurance Program, which is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Membership qualifies residents in flood-prone areas to buy flood insurance through the insurance program.

For about 14 years, the city has taken part in the Community Rating System, a voluntary program for communities that participate in the insurance program. Largo's rating is 7 on a scale of 10, which saves residents about 15 percent in flood insurance premiums.

Lewis' property is one of eight in Largo that had two or more flood insurance claims within 10 years, according to city records. FEMA considers them "repetitive loss properties." Most are along McKay Creek.

Communities that participate in the insurance program are also classified by their number of repetitive loss properties. Because Largo has less fewer than 10, it qualifies for a B rating. In 2002, the city exceeded the acceptable number of repetitive loss properties and sank to a C, jeopardizing insurance savings for residents.

In 2003, the City Commission approved the purchase of three other properties along McKay Creek, following the same process.

Most of the flood-prone homes are on Crescent and Overbrook drives, near the creek. Other problem spots are on Belcher Road and Seagull Drive.

Largo originally offered Lewis $48,400 for his two-bedroom, one-bath home on 19th Place SW. But Lewis said the city's current offer is fair, in the same price range as his new home in Crawfordville.

The closing date is Sept. 30, and Lewis said he can't wait to move to his home in the woods.

"I want to be in the country," he said. "I want to be out of this city life."

Lorri Helfand can be reached at 445-4155 or at lorri@sptimes.com

[Last modified August 20, 2005, 01:27:02]