Last year when I purchased my first home in Florida, I actually had to turn down an accepted offer I’d put on a home I wanted to buy because it was not insurable. Located on a slight hill in a flood-prone zone, the home was older and had a five foot crawl space so the actual home would be safe in the event of a flood. However, the home was built of wood and the inspector found too much termite damage which made it uninsurable.
Sure enough, this East Volusia home, built sometime in the 1930s, flooded last week during historically heavy May rains. However, due to the fact that the home had a crawl space, the first floor remained dry. (I can’t attest as to whether or not the roof leaked.)
The home I did buy, built in the 1950s of concrete block and also on a small rise, has a three foot crawl space and also did not flood. Only the attached garage, which is lower than the house, took in water. It’s a garage and nothing was damaged – no point even mentioning it to the insurance people. My neighbors who also live in historic homes, some with basements, all escaped damage to their first floor living spaces.
Meanwhile, over 1000 manufactured homes and homes built “slab on grade” must now be demolished. Slab on grade means that the concrete slab foundation is poured directly onto the ground and the home (or building) is constructed on top so that the first floor is only a few inches above the ground (if that). So, in the case of a flood, you have little protection except to pile sandbags around the door openings and perimeter of the home and hope for the best. Here in Florida, flooding occurs every year.
Governor Crist is counting on much needed flood relief from President Barack Obama’s administration to replace and rebuild the over 1000 homes which have been destroyed in cities bordering the east coast of central Florida. I hope Florida flood victims get this relief. However, we have to spend the money wisely.
First, there are numerous homes for sale in dry areas not prone to flooding. Listed on Realtor.com within the 32124 zip code in western Daytona Beach are 67 single family detached homes just waiting for new owners. In all of Daytona Beach, there are currently 997 single family detached homes for sale. In Ormond Beach, 1100 single family homes are for sale. Rather than rebuild in the same flood prone areas, flood victims should be educated to buy an already built home in a non-flood prone area of similar value to the one they are replacing. This will serve two purposes: provide for new homes while remedying the glut of homes for sale currently on the market.
Flood prone areas can be redesignated as parks and retention ponds and swales can be built in their place. You can never have too many parks.
Likewise, the government can issue coupons to flood victims to replace other items. This will help the nearly bankrupted furniture and appliance stores by buying already overstocked goods filling local Central Florida stores. Cars should be replaced with domestic Chrysler, GM, and Ford cars already on the lot. There's no sense making or building something new when the market itself is flooded with goods. It's a win win. The government will be helping not only the victims, but also struggling manufacturers and businesses.
Should someone need to rebuild in the same location, possibly to restore an historic home or replace a much needed business, school or church, the first floor of the building should be raised at least four feet above grade. This allows water to flood below the building while allowing enough room to repair plumbing and electric when necessary. One of the most popular designs in flood prone coastal areas is the "garage on the bottom" design where the first floor is raised eight feet above grade.
