La Crosse floodplain owners to get some relief

Council to vote Thursday on
floodplain grant/loan program

La Crosse might be getting floodplain relief soon.

Home and business owners await a vote Thursday from the city council – all that’s needed to get the floodplain relief plan going.  

For north side city council rep. Ryan Cornett, it’s about time.

“(We can begin) actually focusing on getting something done rather than talking about it,” he said.

The plan, likely to be approved by the city council, will provide matching grant and loan programs to help property owners do repairs and improvements to get out of the floodplain.

An estimated 2,000 properties are currently counted within the city’s floodplain on both the north and south sides.

“It’s a big burden that we’re spending lots of money on insurance that’s not needed,” Cornett said. “(Money) that’s leaving this community and going somewhere else and not supporting our local community.”

Just recently, as those 2,000 property owners have forked over cash for that insurance, they’ve watched their property values diminish.

“Once this gets through, it can help people immediately, who want to sell their homes,” Cornett said. “They can get some money and we can match them, and do something for them to get their home out of the flood plain.

“So, if they want to sell, they can get that clear bill that they’re not going to be in the flood plain. and the person buying it isn’t going to have that burden.”

Those grants and loans will help property owners do improvements – sometimes just small ones – to get out of the floodplain.