FEMA Awards $3.4 Million Grant to Johnson County

Hazard mitigation funds will be used to acquire and remove 50 flood-prone homes

CHICAGO, IL - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today released $3,448,022 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to Johnson County, Ind., for the acquisition and removal of 50 residential structures.

HMGP provides grants to state and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures.  Through HMGP, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the $4.6 million project.  The remaining 25 percent of the funds, $1,149,340, will be provided through a combination of funds from the Community Development Block Grant and Johnson County. The funds will be available once a final agreement is signed between Johnson County and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), which administers the mitigation program.

"Mitigation projects such as these benefit residents and communities affected by disasters," said Andrew Velasquez III, regional administrator, FEMA Region V. "The acquisitions in Johnson County will reduce future structural losses and lessen the financial impact on individuals and governments following a disaster."

"Indiana continues to recover from the long-term effects of the 2008 flooding. This assistance is a key step in the recovery process for those residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed," said IDHS Executive Director Joseph Wainscott. "The partnership and teamwork among Johnson County, IDHS and FEMA helped provide this much needed relief."

"We are happy to assist homeowners that are still struggling with the damaging effects of the floods," said Sherry Seiwert, executive director of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, which manages the block grants. "These funds will help residents remain in their communities and spur the revitalization efforts that have been taking place since 2008."

HMGP funds will be used to remove these homes from flood prone areas, returning the area to open space in perpetuity.  HMGP projects like this are the cornerstone of disaster prevention efforts, and illustrate the importance of local, state and federal government working together for the benefit of citizens.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.