Expanded Flood Mitigation Grant Eligibility Considered In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As the City of Alexandria considers expanding eligibility for its flood mitigation grants, homeowners can learn about how the program works.

The city's Flood Mitigation Grant Program provides financial assistance for homeowners or commercial property owners who install flood protection practices on their properties. Residents can apply to receive a 50/50 matching grant up to $5,000 for eligible flood protection practices.

Work must have already been completed to apply for the city grant. Eligible flood mitigation measures include floodproofing windows, floodproofing doorways, floodproofing basements, floodproofing utilities, modifying topography and other preventative measures like a flood alert system, portable submersible water pumps and hoses, flood-damage resistant thermal insulation and flood-resistant building materials.

The grants launched as a pilot program in 2021, is a short-term strategy for residents to grapple with flooding as the city designs and constructs larger flood mitigation projects.

Currently, the program requires documentation of prior flooding to assist the properties most impacted by flooding. Now, the city proposes removing the requirement of prior flooding, allowing more homeowners to benefit and mitigate future flooding damage. In addition, the city is looking into funding flood mitigation practices for common areas at condominium homeowners associations.

Residents can learn more about the grant program and provide input on the program expansion. The next meeting on the flood mitigation grant program will be held virtually through Zoom at 7 p.m. Sept. 25.