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Snoqualmie warns $500,000 home-elevation grant lapsed; administration seeks renewal with King County
Summary
Community Development Director Davis told the committee a $500,000 home-elevation grant tied to an interlocal agreement with the King County Flood Control District expired in December; the city is asking King County to restore funding and extend ILA terms to three years to allow projects time to proceed.
Community Development Director Davis informed the Snoqualmie Community Development Committee that an interlocal agreement (ILA) and associated home-elevation grant funding from the King County Flood Control District expired in December, placing roughly $500,000 of funding at risk.
"We had $500,000 in that funding pool, and we were working with one property owner that is currently working to elevate their home," Director Davis said, explaining that staffing losses and fragmented applicant lists contributed to the lapse. She said the city compiled several separate lists into a single "master list" of about 45 homeowners interested in elevation work and is requesting renewal of the ILA and grant funding through 2028 (a three-year term) so the city can manage the longer timeframes required for surveying, contracting and construction.
Director Davis described the King County process as first-come, first-served: homeowners who ask to be added go to the bottom of the list and the city moves from the top as funding becomes available. She said elevations can cost "upwards of $200,000," and that typically the funding pool supported about two projects per year under past practice. "I didn't realize it would just go away. I thought it would carry over until the next year," she said.
Council members and the mayor responded by linking the lapse to reduced department capacity after staff reductions and urged the administration to pursue restoration quickly. The mayor said the city will proceed "very soon" to ask King County to help pick the issue up and will follow up with the council on timelines for renewal. No formal action or vote was taken; Director Davis and the mayor said they will draft a letter and coordinate with King County to seek restoration or replacement of funds and a longer ILA term to prevent future expirations.
The committee also discussed eligibility mechanics: Director Davis said homeowners must enter a contract before beginning work, so retroactive reimbursement for privately completed elevations is unlikely under the current grant rules.
