COUNCIL BLUFFS –  The Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency reports it is gathering public data to pursue participation in flood buyout programs in the unincorporated areas of Northwest Pottawattamie County, the City of Oakland, and the City of Council Bluffs.  Doug Reed, Director of Emergency Management, said “a listing of known impacted areas and properties were provided to Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management to conduct a financial analysis on the maximum potential costs for a buyout program within the county. What we need to compile now is a list of property owners that are interested in participating in the program. A buyout program is completely voluntary on part of the property owner.” The list will be used to determine program eligibility, have a better understanding of what the actual costs could be, and assist the local jurisdictions in determining program priorities in order to submit the official applications for participation.

Pott. County EMA

Owners of residential, agricultural, or commercial properties located within a special flood hazard area and were impacted by the flooding of 2019 are asked to review general program information and submit an interest form online at https://sites.google.com/view/pottco2019flood/home. Once this list is compiled, the governing boards or councils of the respective jurisdictions will formally decide whether to participate in the program and if so, establish program priorities for potential buyout offers. Property owners meeting program criteria will be asked to submit a Statement of Voluntary Transaction which will then get their property listed on the official applications submitted to applicable state and federal program authorities.

Property owners must submit their information on the online registry no later than 3:00 p.m., on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Submission of information does not commit the property owner to selling their property and owners may elect to withdraw from the program at any point prior to final execution of property transaction agreements. Property owners submitting information on the interest registry will be contacted regarding their program status and next steps.