Lisle to receive nearly $2.9 million for flood relief

Lisle will be able to purchase 13 houses that regularly flood and elevate six others, thanks to a nearly $2.9 million federal grant.

Mayor Joe Broda said the village applied for the grant in response to widespread flooding in April 2013. On Friday, he said it was “fabulous” to get the grant money.

“It's going to give us the opportunity to move forward and purchase those homes,” Broda said.

The village is getting the $2,889,864 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. As part of its proposed project, Lisle will acquire 13 properties from homeowners who want to sell.

Marilyn Sucoe, Lisle's stormwater administrator, said the properties are located along the East Branch of the DuPage River.

Once the houses are demolished, the parcels will become green space that can flood without causing damage.

Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, said the grant is good news for residents “who have been devastated by flooding many times in the past.”

“The grant will enable them to move out of the floodplain and avoid future heartache and property losses,” Monken said.

In addition, six structures will be raised three feet above the base flood elevation along the river.

Federal officials said the grant was awarded through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which provides money to state and local governments for long-term hazard mitigation measures.

“The projects funded by this program will greatly reduce the financial impact on individuals and the Lisle community when future flooding occurs in this area,” said Janet Odeshoo, FEMA Region V acting administrator.

As part of the grant award, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the project's total cost, which is estimated at $3,853,152, officials said.

The remaining $963,288 needs to come from Lisle. DuPage County is planning to provide about $600,000 of the money Lisle needs to raise, Sucoe said.

She said demolition work won't start until summer or early fall and the project is expected to take about two years to complete.

In the meantime, Lisle must get a grant agreement from the state and begin acquiring the properties.

“The amount of work that will now start is a bit overwhelming,” Sucoe said.