EVERETT — Property owners in Snohomish County living in places affected by frequent flooding may qualify for certain county assistance programs, including a voluntary home buyout program.
The Voluntary Floodplain Home Buyout Program, administered by the county and funded via federal emergency grants, uses the purchases to reduce future risks to life and property from significant flooding. A number of areas in Snohomish County suffered from record-breaking flooding earlier in December.
The Seattle Times previously reported on the buyout program.
Those interested need to go through an extensive process and meet a number of requirements to determine if they are eligible for a buyout. Homes need to be located in a floodway or a high-risk erosion area that has been subject to repetitive flood damage.
The home must be substantially damaged, and other solutions to prevent flood losses — like elevating the home — must be impractical. Owners may also have to contribute between 10 to 25 percent of the appraised value of the home to meet the cost share required by the grant.
The process typically takes about two to three years, according to a county document. But the buyout, if approved, would help property owners by allowing them to leave a flood-prone property.
Government agencies benefit from the program by preventing risks to the lives of those living in frequently flooded areas, and for local governments, buyouts can reduce future costs for evacuations and debris removal.
Once the county purchases the property, the septic and water systems are decommissioned and the home is demolished. Use of the land is restricted to forestry, agriculture, parks, or open space preservation. Native plants are also installed to prevent the spread of invasive plants and provide helpful floodplain functions.
For residents interested in the program, visit the county’s Flood Information Center at https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/796/Flood-Information-Center. Click the Flood Guide, listed under the Quick Links portion on the right side of the page.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency also has information about flood mitigation grant assistance at https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/learn/flood-mitigation-assistance.
Snohomish County offers another program — also utilizing state and federal grants — to provide reimbursements for individuals in floodplains who seek to elevate their homes above a 100-year flood level. Those grants are not loans, the county stressed in a document, but reimbursements, meaning homeowners must be able to pay the cost of the projects up front. Homeowners must meet several requirements for that as well, including obtaining approval from the Health Department concerning the home’s septic system.
Between 2013 and 2024, the county’s Surface Water Management Department completed eight property acquisitions and 10 home elevation projects using federal grant funding, county spokesperson Kari Bray said in an email.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
Eliza Aronson: 425-339-3434; eliza.aronson@heraldnet.com; X: @ElizaAronson.
Eliza’s stories are supported by the Herald’s Environmental and Climate Reporting Fund.
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