Governor Pence Announces FEMA Grant of $862,946 to Fort Wayne; City to Acquire and Raze 18 Flood-Prone Structures

 Governor Mike Pence today announced a federal award of $862,946 to Fort Wayne to purchase and demolish 18 flood-prone structures.

 

“This effort in Fort Wayne is about protecting Hoosiers by removing these properties from harm’s way,” Governor Pence said. “In addition to eliminating the flood-damage property risk to the owners, it also keeps Hoosiers safer and prevents repetitive stress to Indiana’s economy. I appreciate the cooperation among the local, state and federal personnel who worked together to move this initiative forward.”

The grant came from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and was announced through the FEMA Region V Office in Chicago.

Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry said today’s development is part of a decade-long effort to protect residents and property from floods.

“This is positive news for residents in the City of Fort Wayne as we continue our efforts with state and federal partners to protect our communities,” Mayor Henry said. “In the last 10 years, we’ve moved forward with many proactive flood control improvement projects throughout Fort Wayne. These projects have included storm pipes, earthen berms, flood walls, the creation of more green space to handle flood water and the purchase of more than 100 homes that were prone to flooding. Our investments are making a meaningful difference to assist residents and enhance the quality of life for neighborhoods.”

The grant application for Fort Wayne was prepared by Rodney Renkenberger, executive director of the Maumee River Basin Commission.

“This Flood Mitigation Project is an example of how the Maumee River Basin Commission assists communities with permanent non-structural flood damage reduction solutions. Non-structural projects allow emergency services personnel to be deployed to areas of greater risk because they are no longer needed in the project area,” Renkenberger said.

Following demolition, the properties will be maintained as permanent open spaces in the community. The grant is part of Pre-Disaster Mitigation, which provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security administers the grant from FEMA to the City of Fort Wayne.

The total eligible cost of the project is $1,150,595. FEMA will pay 75 percent, which is the $862,946. The city of Fort Wayne and the Maumee River Basin Commission will contribute 25 percent of the remaining funds, or $287,649.