Greater Catskills Flood Remediation Program
On April 11,2008, Governor David Paterson and Legislative leaders announced that the Enacted Budget includes $15 million for the Greater Catskills Flood Remediation Program. Under the program, eligible counties in the Southern Tier and Catskill regions will apply to purchase one or two family homes that have been damaged by floods since April 1, 2004, and are determined to be at future risk. The initiative will allow homeowners to relocate from areas vulnerable to flooding. In order to qualify for the program, the home must be the primary residence of the owner with a family income up to 150% of the Area Median Income, as defined by HUD. Homes purchased would be condemned and property will be dedicated for open space, recreational, wetlands, or flood mitigation purposes. The program will help to remove people and possessions from harms way in areas that have been hit particularly hard by flooding in recent years.
Funding will be administered through the NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation / Division of Housing and Community Renewal to the following counties: Broome Chenango, Delaware, Herkimer, Montgomery, Orange, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, Tioga, and Ulster.
FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
(518) 474-2057
GCFRP@nysdhcr.gov
Local Program Contact Information:
Greater Catskills Flood Remediation Program Request for Proposals
The RFP and its associated files are available in PDF file format only.
- Request for Proposals
- Exhibit A - List of Homes
- Exhibit B - Home Acquisition Form
- Exhibit C - Proposed Budget Form
- Exhibit D - Reporting List
- Family Income Verification Form - BROOME
- Family Income Verification Form - CHENANGO
- Family Income Verification Form - DELAWARE
- Family Income Verification Form - HERKIMER
- Family Income Verification Form - MONTGOMERY
- Family Income Verification Form - ORANGE
- Family Income Verification Form - OTSEGO
- Family Income Verification Form - SCHOHARIE
- Family Income Verification Form - SULLIVAN
- Family Income Verification Form - TIOGA
- Family Income Verification Form - ULSTER
Disbursement Instructions and Forms:
- GCFRP Commitment & Disbursement Instructions
- Authorized Signature Form
- Designation of Depository Form
- Disbursement Request Form
- Program Budget Expenditure Form
- Soft Cost Detail Sheet
- Acquisition Detail Sheet
- Demolition Detail Sheet
Submitted Questions and Answers
New York State Budget 2008-2009
§ 3. Within the amounts transferred to the corporation pursuant to section one of this act for the greater Catskills flood remediation program, the corporation shall provide funds to the counties of Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Herkimer, Montgomery, Orange, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, Tioga, and Ulster, upon application by a county and within the amounts available for disbursement to such county, to enable the counties to purchase one- or two-family homes that have been certified by the local building inspector and county emergency management director, to the satisfaction of the corporation, as having been subject to one or more incidents of flooding since April 1, 2004 and as likely to be subject to a future flood incident that would cause substantial damage thereto. Any application by a county for disbursement of funds under this act shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the corporation, that:
(1) the home is occupied as the primary residence of an owner with a family income of up to one-hundred fifty percent of the area median income as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, provided, however, that an otherwise eligible home shall be eligible for purchase under this act if the current owner can demonstrate that the home was occupied as the owner's primary residence prior to a flood event that rendered the home unsuitable for habitation;
(2) the current appraised value of the home does not exceed two-hundred fifty thousand dollars and the purchase price for the home will not exceed the appraised value less the amount of any property casualty insurance or disaster relief payments received by the owner as compensation for damage incurred in a flood incident;
(3) all recorded liens or other encumbrances on the home will be released at closing;
(4) the county provides assurances that the home will be condemned and the property will be dedicated and maintained in perpetuity for a use that is compatible with open space, recreational, flood mitigation, or wetlands management practices; and
(5) disbursements under this section shall be limited to the costs of acquisition of eligible homes, including legal, appraisal, recording and other transaction costs.
In selecting homes for purchase pursuant to the act, each county shall give preference to homes with a current appraised value of less than one-hundred fifty thousand dollars and to homes that have been subject to two or more incidents of flooding since April 1, 2004. The corporation shall establish policies and procedures consistent with this section, which shall include county reporting requirements, and shall report to the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, the temporary President of the Senate, and the Director of the Division of the Budget on or before December 31, 2008 regarding the implementation of this section. Of the amounts transferred to the corporation pursuant to section one of this act, the amounts disbursed to counties pursuant to this section shall not exceed the following amounts: Broome, $750,000; Chenango $750,000; Delaware, $2,000,000; Herkimer, $750,000; Montgomery, $750,000; Orange, $2,000,000; Otsego, $750,000; Schoharie, $750,000; Sullivan, $3,750,000; Tioga, $750,000; and Ulster, $2,000,000.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 15, 2008
Governor Paterson Commits $15M to Southern Tier
& Catskill Flood Relief
Proposals Requested by October 14, 2008 Deadline
Last updated on 08/12/09