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Lee County to use roughly $1.76 million in USDA funds to buy out flood‑impacted homes; staff outlines timeline and constraints
Summary
County staff told the fiscal court that the USDA approved $1,759,513.80 to buy eight residential properties and that $1.4 million is available for commercial purchases; appraisals and title work were approved to begin the acquisition process.
The Lee County Fiscal Court heard a briefing on the county’s planned buyout program after receiving federal grant support to acquire flood‑impacted properties. County staff member Chance told the court the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved $1,759,513.80 to buy eight residential properties and that the county also has about $1.4 million to buy commercial property downtown.
The buyout program moves next to procurement and property clearance. “We went from, you know, nine properties to 18 properties,” Chance said, describing the mix of residential and commercial properties the county expects to acquire. He asked the court to approve contracts for an appraiser and title‑search attorney so purchases can proceed.
Why it matters: the purchases are intended to remove at‑risk structures and reduce future disaster costs. Chance said appraisals could be completed within about 1½ weeks once the appraiser is engaged and that title work could take a month to complete because of older, complex ownership chains. He recommended approving Bob Mills as appraiser and a law office (transcript: Tacket/Randall Tet) for title searches and closing work; the court approved those procurement items on the consent agenda.
Funding and timing: Chance explained the two funding streams work differently: USDA funds will be submitted and paid by the agency (the county will not front the full purchase price), while FEMA grants reimburse the county after expenditures. He noted the federal government shutdown had slowed some federal approvals: “Once it leaves their hands … it’s up to the national level,” Chance said, describing potential delays.
Post‑acquisition rules and demolition: the county was told deed restrictions and reuse rules differ by program. Chance said the agencies are discussing adjusting deed restrictions so counties can improve or reuse some acquired parcels. He outlined the county’s intended post‑acquisition timeline: owners will be given 30 days’ notice to vacate, utilities may be disconnected after that period, and demolitions are expected within 90 days of transfer — a schedule he tied to Kentucky law while noting he might be imprecise about statutory details.
What’s next: with the appraiser and title work approved, Chance said staff would schedule appraisals and title searches immediately and return to the court as purchases move forward. The court did not take additional policy votes beyond approving the procurement items and related consent‑agenda motions.
