sa国际传媒官网网页入口

RUIDOSO 鈥� Flooding caused by monsoon rains over hillsides burnt by wildfires has altered Ruidoso鈥檚 landscape and floodplain, with county officials projecting that floods could continue for years to come and potentially exposing structures standing in the way.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a new term that FEMA is using for us,鈥� Mayor Lynn Crawford said in an interview, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 鈥淏ecause of the burn scars, we have flooding every time, and so that鈥檚 a 鈥榗ascading event.鈥� And FEMA is trying to say, 鈥榃e don鈥檛 do that.鈥欌��

According to a recently inaugurated for FEMA-funded projects in Ruidoso, the agency has estimated its share in local recovery projects at $15.14 million for the 2025 floods, in addition to $21.76 million toward recovery projects related to the 2024 disaster declaration after wildfires and floods that year.

But village officials told the Journal the process of securing federal assistance has been fraught, with the agency more reluctant to assist with overlapping effects from disasters that come in rapid succession, where debris or degraded roadways and bridges may exacerbate damage, hampering emergency response and recovery efforts.

Meanwhile, some property owners wanting to rebuild on their land have grown frustrated by stringent new code requirements and enforcement in areas more vulnerable to flooding.

鈥淪ome folks are adamant about grandma鈥檚 house that was there for three generations. They want it back in that same spot,鈥� Deputy Village Manager Heath Dobrovolny said. 鈥淎nd some of them can鈥檛 be, because the floodway will just back up.鈥�

Voluntary buyout programs with federal funding have extended options for eligible property owners affected by past floods, but the process is slow and with another monsoon season approaching, the village recently enacted a 鈥淐lean and Lien鈥� program to address unsafe structures.

In a process governed by local ordinance, identified properties are assessed by engineers and building professionals. Property owners were notified to address safety issues on their property and referred to applicable resources, such as FEMA recovery programs for removing debris. Owners also have a right to appeal decisions. As a last resort, the village may demolish structures, remove debris and place a lien on the property for the cost of the cleanup.

Crawford said some residents decry the program as a 鈥渓and grab,鈥� although the ownership never changes hands.

鈥淥nce you go through the buyout program, if you are eligible but refuse their offer or are deemed ineligible, the Clean and Lien process is there to still clean the property,鈥� Dobrovolny said.

Some assistance may eventually be available to help property owners pay off those liens through disaster recovery grants and other programs. Dobrovolny said New Mexico鈥檚 Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management was exploring those options. But that help may also be slow in coming and isn鈥檛 guaranteed.

And in the short term, Village Manager Ron Sena said, 鈥淚f we go in and do the clean and lien on a property, we're going to have to find the funding within our general fund to pay for that.鈥� He said that could add up to as much as $100,000, depending on the property and the actions needed.

While expensive and unpopular, Crawford said the interventions are needed 鈥渢o get debris out of the way so it doesn't end up in the river, in the culverts and on the bridges鈥� in the next flood.

Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.