Expanded Eligibility For Flood Mitigation Grants Up For City Review

ALEXANDRIA, VA — More homeowners could be eligible for flood mitigation grants to make floodproofing improvements in their homes or condominium common areas under a City of Alexandria proposal.

A proposal to expand eligibility for the city's Flood Mitigation Grant Program will head to City Council on Tuesday. The grant program, launched in August 2021, provides financial assistance for homeowners or commercial property owners who install flood protection practices on their properties. Residents can apply to receive a 50/50 matching grant up to $5,000 for eligible flood protection practices.

Under the proposal, the requirement of past flooding at a property back to July 8, 2019 would be removed. That means properties could apply for the grant regardless of past flooding history. Currently, the program requires documentation of prior flooding to assist the properties most impacted by flooding.

According to a memo to City Council, the grant program has seen a drop in participation. City staff believe properties that have documentation of past flooding likely already applied for and received grant funding.

The other part of the proposal would increase the grant match for condominium common areas from $5,000 to $25,000. That could help condo associations make floodproofing improvements for common areas that multiple condo owners use, such as clubhouses, parking garages and pool areas, doorways to multiple units.

Work must have already been completed to apply for the city grant. Eligible flood mitigation measures include floodproofing windows, floodproofing doorways, floodproofing basements, floodproofing utilities, modifying topography and other preventative measures like a flood alert system, portable submersible water pumps and hoses, flood-damage resistant thermal insulation and flood-resistant building materials.

The city's assistance for homeowners to make floodproofing improvements in their homes is a short-term strategy as the city designs and constructs larger flood mitigation projects. Under the pilot program, there have been 250 applications and over $770,000 in grant matching provided, according to a city staff presentation prepared for City Council. Applicants spend on average $11,000 for floodproofing measures, and the average reimbursement from the grant matching is $3,300.