SIOUX FALLS – FEMA and the State of South Dakota have awarded more than $3.7 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds to four South Dakota cities for the purchase of flood prone properties and their removal from the floodplain. These acquisition projects will allow property owners to relocate away from high-risk flood areas and prevent damage from future flooding events.
The breakdown in Federal funds includes:
- $1,147,538 for the purchase of 12 properties in the City of Madison.
- $928,816 for the purchase of seven properties in the City of Sioux Falls.
- $806,641 for the purchase of 10 properties in the City of Dell Rapids.
- $443,607 for the purchase of six properties in the City of Yankton.
The $3.3 million from FEMA represents a 75 percent cost-share of the acquisition projects. The State of South Dakota will contribute an additional $443,547 for the projects with the local community responsible for the remaining costs.
FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Jon Huss said the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds can be used for the purchase and demolition of structures and the cost of returning the property to green space in perpetuity. The purchased lots become the property of the sponsoring community.
Tina Titze, Director of the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management said the funding is the result of one of four presidential disaster declarations approved for South Dakota in 2019 and noted that in addition to home buyouts, additional HMGP grants have been awarded for numerous smaller projects across the state including the construction of storm shelters and safe rooms as well as providing emergency generators to protect critical infrastructure.
The HMGP program is funded through a percentage of overall federal disaster response and recovery costs . South Dakota recently had an enhanced statewide hazard mitigation plan approved. This makes the state eligible for the maximum of 20 percent toward the program.