>>> WE ARE BEING EVACUATED BY THE POLICE AND FIRE.

>> IT WAS PRETTY SHOCKS BECAUSE I STARTED SEEING WATER SEEPING AND THEN FLOWING UNDERNEATH THE WALLS INTO THE FRONT DOOR.

IT WAS LIKE A HORROR FILM.

>> THEY WERE AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO WERE EFFECTED BY THE FLASH FLOODING IN LATE JULY.

UPWARDS OF 11 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN 12 HOURS.

A RECORD-BREAKING AMOUNT, CAUSING DAMAGE, ROAD CLOSURES AND SWIFT WATER RESCUES IN PARTICULAR AREAS LIKE THIS ONE.

>> THE FIRST TIME WE LOOKED OUT TO SEE THE WATER AND MOVE THE CARS, I SAW A CAB, AND I SAID, WE NEED TO CALL 911.

THE NEXT TIME WE CHECKED, HE LOOKED LIKE HE CRAWLED OUT OF A SWIMMING POOL.

HE HAD TO SWIM AND TREAD WATER TO GET TO OUR DOOR AND HE STAYED WITH US FOR THE NEXT 4 HOURS.

>> AND WE WOKE UP OUR DAUGHTER AND HE JUST GRABBED THINGS AND DISCONNECTED THE ELECTRONICS AND THE FIRE AND POLICE SAID YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE.

WE DID IT BY BOAT.

HE WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR.

>> THEY TOOK A DOZEN OR SO PEOPLE IN THIS AREA BY BOAT TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND GOT US BREAKFAST AND SOME RED CROSS SUPPLIES FOR CLEAN-UP.

>> THAT'S WHEN THE REAL CRISIS SET IN, AS THEY WERE LEFT WITH TREMENDOUS WATER DAMAGE.

>> WE HAVE HAD LAMINATE FLOORING.

AS THE WATER GOT IT, IT WAS LIKE WALKING ON A SPONGE.

IT FLOATED UP.

>> IT WAS THE FIRST POINT OF ACTION, YOU HAVE TO GET CONTAMINATED OUT OF YOUR HOUSE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THE FLOORING, OVER TIME, WE GOT THE SOFA.

>> WHEN THEY TOOK THE COUCH OUT, THEY TOOK THE LEGS OFF TO GET IT OUT THE DOOR AND THE WATERS RAN OUT OF THE LEG HOLES BECAUSE THE WATER WAS THAT HIGH.

WE HAD BOTH OF THE CARS, WHEN YOU PULLED THEM UP TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY, THAT'S THE LAST TIME EITHER ONE OF THEM RAN.

BOTH OF TOTALLED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY.

>> LUCKILY, THE CAR INSURANCE COVERED THEIR CARS, BUT THE INSURANCE DIDN'T COVER THEIR FLOOD DAMAGE AND IT TOOK OVER TWO WEEKS FOR THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY FUNDING TO BE AVAILABLE.

AND FEMA HELPED PEOPLE TO GET RELOCATED AND SOME DAMAGE.

>> IT WAS REALLY VERY, VERY COMPLICATED TO DO ALL OF THAT.

>> THE ANSWER MAY BE TO MOVE IF IT RAINS THAT HARD, THAT FAST.

THERE'S NO REMEDIATION THEY CAN DO.

>> HEARTBREAKING FOOTAGE, AND A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT WAS THE SITUATION IN MANY PARTS OF THE REGION.

ACCORDING TO THE U.S.

CORPS OF ENGINEERS, THE RIVER HAS FLOODED UNIVERSITY CITY 7 TIMES SINCE 2008.

WE WELCOME YOU TO NEXT UP ON BEHALF OF BILL MCCLELLAN AND GREGORY ROSE, AND TIM, U.S. CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, AND SITS ON THE COMMISSION ON STORM WATER ISSUES.

WELCOME.

>> ROBERT CHRIS IS A RESEARCHER AND PROFESSOR SPECIALIZING IN WATER AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND PLANET SCIENCES AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY.

>> I HAVE HEARD HYDROLOGISTS SAY THAT THE CRISIS BEGINS WHEN THE WATER RECEDES.

WE SEE HOW BAD AND WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS ARE.

SO, I GUESS, WE WILL START WITH YOU.

HAVE WE REACHED A CRISIS POINT IN TERMS OF THE FLOODING THAT HAS BEEN SO BAD IN UNIVERSITY CITY?

>> CERTAINLY.

WE WERE VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESPONSE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT AND FEMA.

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

>> AND THE PRESIDENT SIGNING THE FACT THAT IT WAS A DISASTER WHICH OPENED UP THE AVENUE FOR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE RESIDENTS AS WELL AS BUSINESSES AND ALSO US AS A GOVERNMENT TO RECEIVE FUNDING, FEDERAL FUNDING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE LOSSES THAT WE HAVE INCURRED.

>> I WAS ON WILSON AVENUE TODAY.

AND I SAW ALL OF THE CONDEMNED, YELLOW CONDEMNED STICKERS ON THESE HOUSES.

IS THERE ANY THOUGHT OF BUYING PEOPLE OUT?

OR REPAIR THE DAMAGE AND SEND THEM BACK INTO THEIR HOMES?

TIM?

>> I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT IS THE SOLUTION HERE?

NOT JUST THE BAND-AID APPROACH.

BUT WHAT IS THE REAL SOLUTION?

BUY-OUTS, PART OF THE SOLUTION, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO PROJECTS.

ONE IS ASKING FEMA TO APPROVE A BUY-OUT PROGRAM FOR UNIVERSITY CITY.

WE HAD MORE THAN 300 HOMES THAT WERE CONDEMNED AS A RESULT OF THE STORM WATER RUN-OFF, AND THE FLOODING THAT HAPPENED.

THAT'S ONE PROGRAM.

WE ARE ALSO LOOKING HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE SO WE CAN FOR THE MOST PART BEGIN TO MINIMIZE THE LIKELINESS OF FLOODING OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE THINK ABOUT, I'M NOT GOING TO DEBATE THE SCIENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

IT SEEMS THAT THE FREQUENT FLOODING IS HAPPENING.

WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS FUTURE FLOODING NOT JUST IN UNIVERSITY CITY BUT THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

>> THE SECOND PROJECT THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAVE AUTHORIZED ME IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF -- WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SINCE 2018.

WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO MOVE THAT PROJECT TO FEMA SO WE CAN MOVE IT AHEAD.

>> IS THE VALLEY GOING TO HELP?

>> IT IS 13 -- IT WILL NOT BE THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION.

I GUESS THAT'S MY POINT.

IT IS APART OF THE SOLUTION.

FLOODING WILL NOT INSTANTLY GO AWAY BECAUSE OF THE DETENTION POND BEING CONSTRUCTED.

MAYBE SOME OF THE HOMES THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE FLOODED WON'T GET FLOODED.

>> TIM, YOU HAVE A UNIQUE POINT OF VIEW, DON'T YOU?

>> YES.

>> YOU WERE AMONG THE FLOODING.

>> YES, MY HOUSE WAS FLOODED.

>> YOU SIT ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE STORM WATER ISSUES.

WHEN MR. ROSE TALKS ABOUT THESE SOLUTIONS, HOW DO THEY SOUND TO YOU?

DO THEY SOUND LIKE THEY WILL BE EFFECTIVE?

>> AS MR. ROSE EXPLAINED, SEVERAL THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN, IT IS NOT JUST BUYING OUT HOUSES OR BUILDING A RETENTION POND.

THE POND IS ONE OF THEM.

HOUSES NEED TO BE BOUGHT OUT, SOME OF THEM.

THE HOUSES ON WILSON AVENUE, WE DID A BUY-OUT IN 2008 AND BOUGHT OUT THE HOUSES, AND THOSE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET, THEY NEED TO BE BOUGHT OUT.

TO KEEP THEM OUT OF HARM'S WAY FOR FUTURE FLOODING.

SOME OF THE AREAS IN UNIVERSITY CITIES, SOME OF THE HOMES NEED TO BE BOUGHT OUT.

>> HE CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS TO BE DONE.

ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO BE DONE, PEOPLE CAN DO SOME EASILY, AND INEXPENSIVE WAYS OF FLOOD-PROOFING THEIR HOMES, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR BASEMENTS.

AND THE FLOODING WE SAW IN JULY, HAVING FLOOD-PROVOFED YOUR HOME, MAYBE IT WOULDN'T HAVE HELPED ALL OF THEM.

BUT IT WOULD HAVE HELPED SOME OF THEM IF THEY HAVE FLOOD PROOFED THEIR HOME.

>> WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT FLOODING BEFORE.

YOU HAVE A BIG PICTURE LOOK.

I WAS READING ABOUT HORSE SHOE LAKE ON THE EAST SIDE AND RESTORATION OF WETLAND.

THE BIG PICTURE, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO ON THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER?

>> THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO IS STOP AGGRAVATING THE PROBLEM.

WE HAVE A HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN AREA OF PUTTING AN ENGINEERING PROJECTS AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THEM UP WITH DEVELOPMENT.

WE ARE TRYING TO DO THAT ALL OF THE TIME.

AND INCREASE THE HEIGHT OF LEVEES AND THE FLOOD PLAIN GOING ALL OF OVER THE PLACE, IN THE VALLEY, ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI AND MISSOURI RIVERS.

RIGHT NOW.

WE KEEP DOING IT.

IF YOU LOOK AT WILSON AVENUE AND DARTMOUTH, ALL OF THE CONDEMNED HOMES.

THEY WERE PUT IN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PROJECTS WENT IN.

OH, LET'S BUILD HOMES WHERE T THEY SAY -- >> IS THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES, THE DEVELOPERS, HOW DO WE GET THEM ON THE SAME PAGE IN THAT REGARD?

>> EXTREME WEATHER IS CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS SMALLER AND URBANIZED STREAMS.

IT IS LESS THAN HALF OF THE PROBLEM.

THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS PUTTING HOMES WHERE THEY DON'T BELONG.

UNIVERSITY CITY IS ALMOST 44 PERCENT TROUBLED AREA.

THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THE WATER TO GO.

IT IS ROCK LINED, IT IS LINED.

THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THE FLOOD WATER TO GO.

ONE DAY LATER THE WATER IS GONE.

AND COMPARED THAT TO THE '93 FLOODING, IT WAS DAY AFTER DAY OF MISERY.

THE SMALL STREAMS WIARE FLOODING, THE PEAKS ARE TOO HIGH.

IT IS BECAUSE OF THE WATERSHEDS AND THEY HAVE BEEN OVER-ENGINEERED AND NOT UNDER-ENGINEERED.

>> WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

>> THE SOLUTION FOR U-CITY, THE HOUSES THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED DIDN'T BELONG WHERE THEY ARE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> YEAH.

>> THEY HAVE BEEN FLOODED REPEATEDLY, INCLUDING HIS HOME.

THE HOUSE IS IN THE WRONG PLACE.

SOME OF THE STRUCTURED CAN BE FLOOD PROOFED.

I'M ALL FOR BUY-OUTS AND FLOOD PROOFING.

THEY CAN BE FLOOD PROOF FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY.

THEY COULD HAVE SAVED 30 THOUSAND DOLLARS ALL OF THEIR UTILITIES IN THE BASEMENT AND PILES OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS.

I GO FOR THOSE ASPECTS AND LESS ENGINEERING.

>> IT IS OKAY TO SHRINK THE POPULATION AND BUY OUT PEOPLE?

>> PROBABLY NOT.

WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE?

WE CAN'T KEEP -- WE CAN'T ASK OUR RESIDENTS TO STAY IN HARM'S WAY IF THEIR HOUSES ARE GOING TO GET FLOODED AGAIN AND AGAIN.

WE WOULD BE LOSING REAL ESTATE TAXES AND REVENUE FROM THAT.

WE ARE LOOKING AT AREAS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR UNIVERSITY CITY SUCH AS THE COSTCO AND 170.

AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S NOT ANOTHER OPTION OTHER THAN TO DO THE BUY-OUTS.

AND THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMEOWNERS, I THINK ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE HOMEOWNERS ARE ALL IN FAVOR OF BEING BOUGHT OUT.

THEY DON'T WANT TO STAY IN THOSE HOMES, ESPECIALLY ALONG WILSON AVENUE.

THEY ARE DESPERATE TO GET OUT OF THAT AREA.

>> WOULD THE PROPERTY BE ZONED AS LIMITED OR NO BUILDING?

>> CORRECT.

IT WOULD BE USED AS GREEN SPACE I BELIEVE.

I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME LIMITED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS FOR THE PROPERTY.

>> WOULD YOU TAKE A BUY-OUT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I WAS FLOODED IN 2008, AND THIS TIME, AND OTHER TIMES WHEN THE BACK OF MY HOUSE HAS BEEN FLOODED AND WATER HAS COME INTO THE BACK OF MY HOUSE.

THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS FOR ME THAN A BUY-OUT.

>> I THINK A LOT OF ATTENTION IS PUT ON UNIVERSITY CITY BECAUSE WE WERE SO SEVERELY IMPACTED.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE STUDY IN 1988, IF THEY WOULD EXECUTED THE IMPROVEMENT THAT WERE OUTLINED, UNIVERSITY CITY FLOODING ISSUES WOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.

THE PROBLEM IS WE ADDED MORE FLOODING TO THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS.

THAT WAS CANCELLED.

I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE CAN'T LOOK AT THE RATHER, THE IMPROVEMENT THAT ARE NEEDED, THE MANAGEMENT THAT IS NEEDED ON A CASE BY CASE OR JURISDICTION BY JURISDICTION.

WHAT WE DO IMPACTS DOWNSTREAM AND WHAT THEY DO UPSTREAM IMPACTS US.

THE POND THAT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED, IT WILL HELP OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE DOWNSTREAM.

>> ARE YOU ON BOARD WITH THAT?

>> PARTLY.

I DON'T THINK IT IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PROCEED.

WE SPOKE ABOUT THE 8 ACRES AND 13 FEET DEEP.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OVER ONE HUNDRED ACRES FEET OF STORAGE.

THINK OF THE FLOOD, THE RIVER WAS FLOWING AT 6000 CUBIC FEET A SECOND FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

THAT'S AN ACRE A FOOT EVERY 7 SECONDS.

THAT DETENTION POND WERE IN PLACE WOULDN'T HAVE DONE A THINK TO HELP IN THIS FLOOD.

A LOT OF THE SHORTER FLOOD, 2019, 2020 FLOOD THAT WE HAD IN U-CITY, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE CLIPPED THE TOP OFF, IF IT WAS MANAGED JUST RIGHT.

IT WOULDN'T HAVE HELPED THIS TIME.

WE HAVE TWO NATURAL SHORTAGE IN THE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THE AREA, PRONE TO FLOODING, THAT INCREASES GROUNDWATER AND BECAUSE OF THE NARROWING OF THE CHANNEL AND BUILDING UP THE FLOOD PLANE.

THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SHORTAGE.

IT IS HARD TO GET THE SHORTAGE BACK.

GET THE HOMES OUT OF THE PLACE THEY DON'T BELONG.

THEY DON'T BELONG THERE.

THE OLD-TIMERS KNEW NOT TO BUILD IN THESE PLACES.

IT IS NOT WHERE YOU BUILD YOUR HOUSE, IT IS WHERE YOU GROW YOUR CORN.

>> WE HAVE SO MUCH FLOODING IN THIS REGION, DOCTOR, ARE THERE SIMILAR AREAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE MADE THE MISTAKES WE HAVE?

ARE WE UNIQUE IN THIS REGARD?

YOU LOOK AT 44, AND ILLINOIS, YOU LOOK AT THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE PLACES THAT FLOOD MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY, I THINK EVERYONE IS PUZZLES THAT WE HAVEN'T LEARNED MORE BY LISTENING TO THE EXPERTS LIKE YOU.

>> WE HAVE NOT LEARNED IN ST. LOUIS.

WE STILL HAVE NOT LEARNED.

WE WERE GIVING TIPS FOR FLOOD PLANE UNTIL THE STATE DISQUALIFIED THE PRACTICES JUST THIS YEAR.

WE WERE ACTUALLY SUBSIDIZING FLOOD PROJECTS.

THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO AS A REGION IS TO STOP AGGRAVATING THE PROBLEM.

WE HAVE BEEN MAKING IT WORSE AGGRESSIVELY.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING THE WRONG THINGS.

AS FAR AS MISSOURI COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST.

BUT, ONE OF THE REASONS IS THE MISSOURI RIVER AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ARE HALF AS WIDE HISTORICALLY.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE MAPS, ALL OF THE ISLANDS, AND THE SAND BARS, AND THE WINGS JUTTING INTO THE RIVER FOR THE NAVIGATION ARE IN THE BANKS.

WE HAVE OVER-ENGINEERED THESE THINGS AND NOW WE GET FLOOD LEVELS THAT ARE UNHEARD OF A CENTURY AGO.

PEOPLE LOVE TO BLAME CLIMATE CHANGE, AND IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT IT IS A COP-OUT.

BECAUSE IT DIVERTS THE BLAME.

OH, IT IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBLY, AND NOT OUR NARROWING OF STREAMS.

IT IS NOT OUR LEVEES BEING TOO HIGH.

IT WAS GOD DID TO US.

HE SENT A 1000-YEAR STORM.

IT WAS NOT WITH 12, 6 HOUR RAINFALL.

THE PEAK FLOOD WAS LONG OVER BEFORE 6 HOURS.

IT IS NOT A THOUSAND-YEAR FLOOD.

IT IS A 50-YEAR FLOOD.

WE USE THIS LANGUAGE TO BLAME THE WEATHER TO DIVERT THE BLAME FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CAUSING THE PROBLEM.

>> IT IS THE CHERRY ON TOP OF THE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN MANAGED POORLY.

>> THE CLIMATE CHANGE IS CAUSING SOME OF THIS.

BUT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE.

IT IS WHERE WE BUILD.

THE FLOODS ARE NATURAL.

THEY ARE NOT THE ENEMY.

FLOOD DAMAGE IS NOT NATURAL.

FLOOD DAMAGE IS THE ACT OF MAN.

>> WITH FEMA AND EVERYBODY, HOW LONG ARE PEOPLE GOING TO BE HELPED?

SAY THE PEOPLE ON WILSON AVENUE.

THEY CAN GET HOTELS RIGHT NOW.

HOW LONG DOES THAT GO ON?

THAT THEY CAN SUBSIDIZED FOR HOTEL ROOMS?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

FOR US, SOME OF THIS IS NEW FOR US.

CERTAINLY, THERE WAS A FLOOD THAT OCCURRED IN 2008.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS DECLARED A DISASTER.

THIS ONE CERTAINLY WAS.

WE ARE IN MANY WAYS AT THE WILL OF FEMA.

THEY REQUEST INFORMATION, WE PROVIDE IT.

BUT THEY DRIVE THE PROCESS.

FOR US, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADHERING TO THE PROCESS THEY HAVE IN PLACE.

THE QUESTIONS REGARDING HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO GET RELIEF, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T CONTROL AS A JURISDICTION.

I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL DECIDED THAT, LOOK, WE CAN ALL IDENTIFY THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM.

WE CAN ARGUE IF IT SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT OCCURRED, WE CAN AGREE THAT IT HAS OCCURRED AND IT SHOULD BE FIXED.

WITH THAT IN MIND, THINK THIS COUNCIL DECIDED WE WILL TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NO LEGAL OBLIGATIONS FOR THE CITY TO DO SO, WE WILL TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN FIXING THIS PROBLEM.

I SAY THAT, KEEP IN MIND, THAT WE ARE LIMITED TO JUST UNIVERSITY CITY.

IT IS A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM THAN UNIVERSITY CITY.

IT IS A REGIONAL PROBLEM.

AND SO THE SOLUTION REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT.

>> IS THAT THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE?

>> I THINK IT IS THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, THE METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS AND ALL OF THE JURISDICTIONS GETTING TOGETHER AND SAYING WE SEE THIS AS A MAJOR PROBLEM.

AND SAY WE WANT A SOLUTION TO IT.

>> IS THAT A PROBLEM?

DOCTOR WAS NODDING.

>> YOU KNOW, I WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN HAVE A STRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR GOVERNANCE THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE ST. LOUIS METROPOLITAN AREA AND STILL HAVE REGIONAL AGENCIES THAT ARE EFFECTED.

I PAUSE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT HELPS THE SITUATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS HINDERS IT.

ENOUGH FOCUS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR STRUCTURE IS, ENOUGH FOCUS HADN'T BEEN PLACED ON HOW DO WE SOLVE THE ISSUE OF STORM WATER RUN-OFF.

I HOPE THIS HISTORIC FLOODING, LET'S BE HONEST, IT IS UNLIKELY, WHATEVER INFRASTRUCTURE YOU HAD IN PLACE WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THIS FLOOD.

PLACES FLOODED IN UNIVERSITY CITY THAT HAD NEVER FLOODED BEFORE.

BUT WE KNOW FREQUENCY THAT THE FLOODING COMES.

LET'S ADDRESS THOSE.

THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, THE BUSINESSES, THE HOMES, LET'S TAKE CARE OF THOSE.

WE KNOW THAT FLOODING IS GOING TO SIMPLY CONTINUE.

>> WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

>> TIM, WHAT IS YOUR FRUSTRATION LEVEL?

>> ON A SCALE FROM 1-10.

>> YOU ARE ON THE COMMISSION.

>> HE IS BEING NICE TO ME TONIGHT.

>> WE HAVE 45 SECONDS>> I'M EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED.

AND MY FRUSTRATION IS FOR OTHER RESIDENTS.

I DID HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE.

I HAVE THAT RECOURSE TO REBUILD MY HOUSE.

MANY, MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE THAT AND ALL THEY WILL GET IS THE LITTLE BIT OF HELP THAT THEY WILL GET FROM FEMA.

AND THEY ARE NOT HELPING THEM FAST ENOUGH.

WE WON'T GET THE BUY-OUTS QUICK ENOUGH TO GET THEIR HOUSES BACK TOGETHER.

PEOPLE NEED TO START WORKING ON THEIR HOUSES AND MAKE THE DECISION TO FIX IT UP OR WAIT FOR THE BUY-OUT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE WON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY.

>> WE THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE.

IT HAS BEEN A FRUITFUL DISCUSSION.

WE HOPE IT TURNS OUT THAT WAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANKS FOR WATCHING NEXT UP.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!