JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Flooding is a constant problem along Ken Knight Drive on Jacksonville’s northside during hurricanes and even after heavy rain showers.
Neighbors met with city leaders Wednesday to talk about a buyout program.
Two people signed up during the morning meeting to say they are interested in a buyout; however, many would like to see another approach besides clearing and bulldozing the entire neighborhood.
“It feels like it’s a lot of unity," said Synobia Williams, who attended the community meeting. "The neighbors seem like they look out for one another.”
Williams says it’s that sense of unity that has her considering moving to the Ken Knight Drive neighborhood.
However, it’s hard to ignore the flooding issues that hurricane season brings, which is why the city of Jacksonville is offering a buyout program to permanently demolish homes in favor of greenspace.
“I know there’s generations of families that have lived here, that want to stay here, and I understand that, but it makes no sense every time we have a hurricane, and you’re trying to clean up everything,” said Williams.
The FEMA-funded program will purchase homes for 100% of their appraised values.
All homes in the flood plain are eligible, which Emergency Preparedness Supervisor Noah Ray says is about 80 percent of the homes on Ken Knight Drive.
It also offers rental assistance to help renters get relocated. The majority of the homes are renter-occupied.
The city offered similar voluntary buyouts in 2020, but only one house sold.
“God ain’t making no more dirt," said landowner Nate Thomas.
Thomas owns several properties in the area and says he wants to keep them to have something to pass down to his family. Even if he wanted to take the buyout, he said he’d have a hard time telling his tenants they need to leave.
“The rent is very low, it’s real cheap," said Thomas. "Some people can stay here and eat a bologna sandwich every now and then because they can afford the rent.”
The buyout program does offer rental assistance to cover any increases in rent from moving, but Thomas wishes the city would come up with a different solution.
“If [only] they would just dredge the river out or build a bulkhead around it or make the drainage better,” Thomas said.
Jacksonville Councilmember Ju'Coby Pittman said she does plan to bring that idea up to engineers.
There is a limited window for the buyout, which mean residents would need to sign up in the next two weeks in order to get the grant money.
Ray says there isn't a minimum to the voluntary program. They can move forward with one home or 40 homes.
Anyone looking for more information on the buyouts can email Noah Ray at NRay@coj.net.
More information is also available here.