Demolition Begins on Destroyed Taney County Homes

TANEY COUNTY, Mo. -- It's been a three and a half year process, and this week demolition began on homes destroyed by the 2011 flood.

Nearly all the homes on Foggy River Road in Hollister are in a flood plain. While many sustained little damage from a storm in 2011, others were left severely damaged to the point they could not be repaired.

The sound of demolition now echoes along Foggy River Road in Hollister as those houses are being torn down.

"All the houses will have to be completely demolished," says Taney County Planning Administrator Bob Atchley. "The driveways will need to be removed."

Destruction began this week on a handful of the vacant homes there. They're being torn down after flood waters in 2011 left them irreparable.

"It's a relief for sure," says Atchley. "It really, sincerely is. I am relieved for both the people that were part of the flood buyout and those neighboring property owners as well-- it's been quite a process for all involved."

"It's bittersweet," says Neighboring Property Owner Mike Nauman. "We are glad to see these empty homes go because they've been here for three years empty-- but at the same time, we've had neighbors we have gotten to know and to see them being torn down is pretty rough. But, as a whole, glad to see them out of here."

The county acquired the properties for demolition and had to meet a number of environmental regulations to receive the federal and state grants.

There were a total of 41 properties flooded back in 2011 and of those 41, nine were substantially damaged and are part of the flood buyout.

"The decision was made early on to limit the buyout to property owners whose homes were substantially damaged-- where the damages were in excess of 50 percent of the value of the structures," says Atchley. "Really, primarily, because those folks were very limited to what they could do with their homes. They would have to elevate their homes or remove them from the flood plain."

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Demolition Begins on Destroyed Taney County Homes