Mathews County is moving quickly forward with Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant projects to elevate or purchase homes in flood-prone areas of the county.

Mathews Planning and Zoning Director John Shaw said that since he came to the county in December 2008, five homes have been elevated under his auspices and 30 are in the pipeline waiting. Four of the properties in the pipeline were recently advertised for bids, he said, with those bids due on June 5.

In addition, two homes have been acquired, one on Potato Neck Road in Port Haywood in September 2013 for $151,000, and one on Julian Street in Mobjack Bay Estates at North last month for $105,000. Both were acquired under an agreement that the homes would be demolished and the land kept undeveloped in perpetuity. While the county is now the owner of the properties, said Shaw, no county funds were used to purchase them. The money all came from a fully-funded FEMA grant that did not require a county match.

Shaw ...