Home Buyouts Offered In 3 RI Communities At Risk For Floods

NARRAGANSETT, RI — Some homeowners in Narragansett, Middletown and East Providence who face repeated flooding will have the option to have their home bought out, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed said.

The buyouts are part of a $12.2 million federal package that will pay homeowners to turn their houses into floodplain easements. Towns are not required to match the funds, Reed said.

Specifically, East Providence will receive $9.65 million for buyouts for eligible residents along the Runnins River. Middletown is slated to receive $1.2 million, while Narragansett will get about $1 million.

The federal funding was made available through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

"This voluntary buyout program is an opportunity for repetitive flood loss victims to get fair market value, so they can relocate while simultaneously improving flood mitigation and developing smarter long-term flood management solutions," Reed said in a statement. "I appreciate NRCS staff for their diligent, expeditious efforts to help people, and we want this process to move forward before another high water event occurs."

The next step will be for NRCS to distribute information and applications to property owners, followed by an appraisal process.

If property owners decide to sell through the federal property buyout program, the town becomes the property owner, subject to a floodplain easement. No other permanent structures may be built on the land within the floodplain easement, and it must remain forever "green" in accordance with NRCS regulations, which can allow for recreation.