New flood maps coming to risky metro areas

ATLANTA — Some metro counties are getting new flood maps.

The plans are part of a project from through the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Channel 2's Jim Strickland also learned about a program to get rid of some of the area's most flood-prone homes.

"If it's going to cost more to continually rebuild these structures, then they're going to want these structures torn down, so they're no longer a risk," said Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority official Gil Shearouse.

He showed Strickland a house on Mountain Creek Way, east of Highway 92. It's the next target. A federal grant will pay $60,000 for the owners to move out.

"If they accept the offer, we'll move forward with demolishing this house and restoring it to natural vegetation," said Shearouse.

The owners didn't want to comment.

Strickland did speak with Richard Shay, whose rented home is now included in the floodplain, which was recently redrawn after 30 years using new technology.

He doesn't understand what took so long to put the house on the map.

"If it floods and there's an emergency, we can't out."

"Maybe you ought to move?"

"That'd be a good idea if I had the money to move," he said.

Shearouse says the flood map mostly affects those with a certain type of loan.

"That means that they have to if they have a federally-backed mortgage, acquire flood insurance. That's a cost they didn't have before," said.

Shay is a long-time renter. That makes him ineligible for a flood buyout and insurance is out of his budget.

"Can't afford it," he said.

WSBTV