Tazewell supervisors move to seek DHCD urgent flood relief grant after residents describe repeated home flooding

Tazewell County supervisors voted to apply for a $1.2 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to help households and infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Helene and February 2025 flooding.

The board approved the grant application after a public hearing at which several residents described repeated, damaging floods and ongoing recovery needs. County staff told the board DHCD has set a $5,000,000 statewide pot for the urgent-need round and that the state will also release separate relief funding for Southwest Virginia in June and July.

Why it matters: Supervisors said the county faces competing emergency needs — generators and communications for critical facilities, housing rehabilitation for repeatedly damaged homes, debris removal, and short-term rental assistance for displaced households. Residents who spoke at the hearing said they have lost homes or remained displaced for years and that faster, local relief could prevent further hardship.

The board’s decision and allocation. County staff said the county would seek $1.2 million and recommended a revised line-up of uses to reflect public comment. The board approved the application with these line items: $600,000 for permanently affixed generators for water treatment and other critical facilities; $400,000 for housing rehabilitation for low- and moderate-income (LMI) households; $70,000 for debris removal; $60,000 for river-stream beacons to warn of rising waters; $10,000 for satellite communications for first responders; and $60,000 for rental assistance for displaced LMI households. The vote to authorize the application passed by the board.

What residents said at the hearing. Scott McCormack of Bandy Road described losing his home in the 2022 flood and being threatened again in February 2025. “These types of grants... the people depend on them,” he told supervisors, describing evacuation and long-term anxiety for his family. Other speakers from Richlands and Bandy described multiple floods in recent years, damage to garages and vehicles, and difficulty securing rental housing or FEMA help.

State and federal funding context. County staff briefed supervisors that, beyond the $5 million urgent-need pot, the 2025 state budget includes $25 million for individual relief and another $25 million for public infrastructure in Southwest Virginia; those programs are expected to open in June and July and do not carry the same federal procurement strings. Staff also said the county is applying to FEMA/VDH for other public-assistance reimbursement and that FEMA has a separate program (announced to the county) offering funds for home elevation and flood-resistance improvements for repeatedly flooded, insured properties.

Administration and next steps. Supervisors asked staff to re-check the mix of line items before final submission; staff said DHCD will require more detailed cost documentation for items such as generators and that rental assistance applicants will need leases or receipts showing they are paying rent elsewhere. County staff will finalize the application and file it with DHCD by the program deadline. Staff also said they will hold back an existing $47,000 United Way donation for possible use as a local supplement, depending on how much the county receives from DHCD and upcoming state allocations.

Background and local programs. The board and staff noted work already done under the county’s Bandy Flood Relief program and that $780,275 has been received for that local effort (an increase from an earlier estimate). Staff also reported they have identified a $10 million FEMA/VDem pilot for home elevation assistance for repeatedly flooded properties; the county will apply on behalf of three eligible addresses the agencies identified.

The board will publicize the application and supporting documents and will revisit the allocations if additional public input or new grant guidance arrives before submission.

Ending: The board closed the public hearing and authorized staff to file the $1.2 million DHCD application with the line items approved at the meeting; staff will return with updates as DHCD reviews the request and as the state’s separate Southwest Virginia relief pots become available.