Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation Steering Committee of The South Carolina Office of Resilience’s (SCOR) Disaster Recovery Office has approved $4,933,225 in mitigation buyout grant funding for the City of Bennettsville.
Holly Swann, manager of Planning and Zoning for the City of Bennettsville, said she submitted 46 properties, which included homes and vacant lots in the Shady Rest and Richardson Park areas.
“It will be a major undertaking by the city and Disaster Recovery Division of the SC Office of Resilience,” Swann said.
The purpose of the buyouts is to get people out of areas that flood. In February, Swann said the city will receive notification and have a resolution passed by city council.
In March, there will be project kickoff meetings with city officials and residents.
The implementation of the project will be in April. In the process, structures or homes brought will be demolished and the property is cleaned up and made into green space.