The state is accepting buyout applications from Victoria Acres property owners and residents in the designated Priority 1 zone of the Vermilion Parish neighborhood. The Priority 1 application deadline is Jan. 5.

As participation in the voluntary program ramps up and eligibility is determined, buyout opportunities may expand into the Priority 2 zone, as funding allows. The state, in collaboration with Vermilion Parish officials, designated these priority zones using flood maps and modeling data.

“We are working closely with the Louisiana Watershed Initiative team to bring relief to our neighbors in Victoria Acres who have endured multiple floods,” Dane Hebert, Vermilion Parish Police Jury president, said. “We encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity to move to higher and drier ground, which will ultimately enhance our communitywide resilience to floods in the future.”

The $10 million buyout program in Victoria Acres, funded by federal mitigation dollars, is part of the Louisiana Watershed Initiative’s efforts to reduce flood risks statewide. By offering buyouts, the program helps residents relocate to safer areas and returns flood-prone properties to their natural states. Under LWI, the state awarded federal funds for buyouts in seven areas throughout Louisiana.

For more information, Victoria Acres property owners and residents can contact a buyout program representative at 866.735.2001 or email watershed@la.gov. For more information about the LWI Statewide Buyout Program, click here.