Two and a half years have passed since the Village of Owego was devastated by flooding, but a number of homeowners in the village will see federal funding help elevate their homes above the flood plain. About $1.2 million in federal money is available for raising 27 homes in the Village of Owego, with an average cost of $59,000 per home. The funding, which was awarded through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, will reimburse 75 percent of the cost, a cost which is expected to vary from home to home. The program requires the homes to be raised at least two feet above the highest point where flood waters were inside each home, and they can be raised higher, but the homeowners will have to pay for that additional cost. The Village of Owego first notified its residents of this program back in December of 2011, and out of 50 applicants, FEMA said that 27 of the properties met the requirements needed for elevation. The work is expected to be completed by April of 2015.
