Voluntary Home Buyout Program - Harris County Flood Control District (Houston: renters, house)

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by kittyhawk

You're half correct but this was only because the COE didn't own what they deemed to be the full reservoir to begin with. The maximum flood pool for both reservoirs was well documented in the 40s when they were built. This is when the federal government should have exercised eminent domain to purchase the full extent of the reservoirs. Once Houston started expanding, all bets were off on the "fringe" land staying undeveloped. It is beyond comprehension that any entity, government or developer, would allow development in areas that sits right next to (and below) the reservoir spillways. This is a failure of both government and developers and hopefully they can work to correct it.

It took years to get the land in the 1940's, and lawsuits slowed down the process, as the landowners did not want to give up their property. I understand they retained grazing and mineral rights, but the government got the surface estate. There was little appetite for further acquisition after that.

[usc619]

Originally Posted by Dopo

As conservative as Texas is, I'm surprised that anybody is taking FEMAs socialist money

Not surprised, this place is full of hypocrites

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by usc619

Not surprised, this place is full of hypocrites

They say "it's not handouts, I'm just getting my money back"

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Ghost Town

I pay more in taxes than I receive in return. I pay not only federal tax, but property taxes, sales tax, other local taxes. And I am subsidizing those folks who live on welfare, section 8, etc.

And I pay probably more taxes than you do and have to subsidize you living in a flood plain.

The government should buy out all the flooded properties.

It's cheaper to buy it out then to have it repeatedly flood and have the government have to employ rescue, fire, EMS, and police to save those people time and again.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by shytiger

Socialism will be the reason I will not be able to retire. By the time I'm ready, social security will be just good enough for beer money thanks to the Clinton administration heist.

I pay over 10k a year to property taxes. Used to be 2800 10 years ago. I have to take out a loan every year so my house will not get auctioned off by the city. An acquaintance of mine told me to start an s-corp and take out loans through the company to pay the property taxes (only enough to cover what I can't afford to pay). Pay the loans back with what you can reasonably afford. Start a new s-corp 2-3 years later. Then over time when the loans balance has maxed out, file bankruptcy on your loans under the first s-corp. Start again with the 2nd corp. Wash,rinse & repeat. You'll be able to stay in your home longer. Once you have your equity built up, sell, then go by a house for cash in an area where prop taxes are not artificially inflated. You s-corp(s) are a separate entity and not tied to your credit btw.

Or you could sell your $300,000 house and buy a $100,000 shack. Live beneath your means not above it.

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by cBach

And I pay probably more taxes than you do and have to subsidize you living in a flood plain.

The government should buy out all the flooded properties.

It's cheaper to buy it out then to have it repeatedly flood and have the government have to employ rescue, fire, EMS, and police to save those people time and again.

How do you know that I live in a flood plain if I didn't even have a street flooding?

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by Ghost Town

How do you know that I live in a flood plain if I didn't even have a street flooding?

cBach knows everything
I call him every time I can't find my remote control

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Dopo

cBach knows everything
I call him every time I can't find my remote control

I do know where it is. It's up your ***. just kidding

[Celiene61]

This is not going to make me popular, but oh well...Houstonians should purchase flood insurance, the more people who purchase it, the cheaper it gets across the board.

I do not care if you have never, ever flooded, there is always a first.

I purchase and pay for flood insurance,I take on this responsibility as a homeowner in a Hurricane
Corridor. I am not happy having my tax rates and insurance premiums raised due to other homeowners not looking at the facts and acting responsibly. So now every tax payer in the city is, in essence, paying to rebuild your home...ridiculous.

Why purchase that average cost of 450.00 flood insurance? Oh Ho Hum.....

1) Gulf coast location, basically sea level in most places, or slightly higher.

2) In a Hurriance/ Tropical storm corridor.

3) City is over built in many locations. No where for the flood waters to go. Lack of green areas for storm water absorption.
A) Lack of flood plains and up-to-date Réservoirs. Houston seems incapable of successfully designing plans to deal with the inate problems facing the city regarding flooding.

4) Most homes in the greater Houston area(s) are not built to CAT storm specifications.

Buying back homes built in a known flood plain is a start...although the developers should have never been granted permission and the accompanying permits to build in such areas. Any Tom Foolary of this sort has to stop ! NOW, or homeowners should be able to litigate if there was no such disclosure in their purchase contract.

So, the citizens of Houston will have their taxes raised, their insurance costs will increase, and potentially the lowering of their home values due to bad planning by the city, and the community developers. Just peachy, really.....

[usc619]

Originally Posted by Celiene61

This is not going to make me popular, but oh well...Houstonians should purchase flood insurance, the more people who purchase it, the cheaper it gets across the board.

I do not care if you have never, ever flooded, there is always a first.

I purchase and pay for flood insurance,I take on this responsibility as a homeowner in a Hurricane
Corridor. I am not happy having my tax rates and insurance premiums raised due to other homeowners not looking at the facts and acting responsibly. So now every tax payer in the city is, in essence, paying to rebuild your home...ridiculous.

Why purchase that average cost of 450.00 flood insurance? Oh Ho Hum.....

1) Gulf coast location, basically sea level in most places, or slightly higher.

2) In a Hurriance/ Tropical storm corridor.

3) City is over built in many locations. No where for the flood waters to go. Lack of green areas for storm water absorption.
A) Lack of flood plains and up-to-date Réservoirs. Houston seems incapable of successfully designing plans to deal with the inate problems facing the city regarding flooding.

4) Most homes in the greater Houston area(s) are not built to CAT storm specifications.

Buying back homes built in a known flood plain is a start...although the developers should have never been granted permission and the accompanying permits to build in such areas. Any Tom Foolary of this sort has to stop ! NOW, or homeowners should be able to litigate if there was no such disclosure in their purchase contract.

So, the citizens of Houston will have their taxes raised, their insurance costs will increase, and potentially the lowering of their home values due to bad planning by the city, and the community developers. Just peachy, really.....

This ^^^^pretty much sums it up....funny thing is someone will have the audacity to dispute this post. lol unreal