MASON CITY – Over four years after the devastating floods of 2008, the City of Mason City has closed on the final acquisition of its Flood Buyout Program. A total of 170 properties were acquired.
City Planner Tricia Sandahl explained to the City Council on Tuesday, November 20th at its regular meeting that while acquisitions are complete, demolition continues on properties. She said that the work has been tenuous and that 52 linear feet of files for this project have accumulated. Even so, the Flood Buyout Program will not officially be closed and “off the books” until 2014 or 2015.
“The buyout is one of the largest public works programs the city has ever undertaken,” Sandahl said.
Acquisition and some demolition was funded through 6 separately funded buyouts with total approved budgets of $21,085,491.
According to a City Hall memo, of the 170 properties acquired, 163 were single-family residences, 1 property was a 2-family residence, 4 were commercial properties and 2 transactions were for vacant lots(a total of 4 lots). All the properties are deed restricted and cannot be redeveloped except two properties on South Adams Avenue.
The people affected by the flood and who lost their homes of course moved, and 105 buyout property owners stayed in Mason City while 11 relocated out of state. Two businesses closed and one relocated.
Demolition continues on affected properties. Eight separate funding sources were utilized to pay for demolition. To date, 69 properties have been cleared.
For more information, watch Sandahl’s presentation to the council:
httpv://youtu.be/j1sHfbBFIGc
