“I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t afford to elevate my home. I don’t know what I would do. I really don’t know. I would really be lost,” said Gwendolyn Galmon, a flood victim.
Galmon said she is one of the lucky ones. Galmon lives in North Baton Rouge, but in a low-risk flood zone. Galmon said she does not know what she would do if she had to elevate her home.
“If I had to elevate my home, I would wind up having to sell my home, and move somewhere I can afford to live,” said Galmon.
Galmon’s home took in three feet of water, which by FEMA standards, is not considered substantially damaged, but for her brother, it is a different story.
“My brother, I think he’s going to have to be the one to do it too because he is in a flood zone, and the water went up like six feet, and I think he is going to have to do it,” said Galmon. “I don’t know if he’s going to be able to do it because he’s on a fixed income. So, I don’t know what they’re going to do. I really don’t know what they’re going to do.”
Wednesday, the East Baton Rouge Metro Council unanimously passed an amendment to an ordinance requiring people to elevate their homes who received “substantial damage,” meaning 50% or more.
So now, more than 30,000 people in low to moderate risk flood zones don’t have to elevate as long as they’re still in compliance with the city’s elevation requirements.
Galmon said even though she does not have to, for her, the work is still far from over.
“It’s a slow process, but it’s coming there. You know, every thing takes time,” concluded Galmon.
Low to moderate risk areas are those expected to flood every 100 to 500 years.