NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, FL \u2014 The City of Tallahassee is spending $700,000 to purchase a home in Killearn Estates as part of a $2.5 million project to reduce flood risks for Paddrick Drive and Dutchess Court residents.<\/p>\n
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:<\/p>\n
City buys Killearn home for $700,000 to expand golf course pond and reduce neighborhood flood risks<\/p>\n
The acquisition is the next phase of the Paddrick-Dutchess Flood Relief Project<\/a>.<\/p>\n City Stormwater Manager Jodie Cahoon said a golf course pond behind the property previously overflowed during storms, flooding the home of Maria Denis-Luque and about four others in 2024.<\/p>\n “When I got downstairs, the water was already at my ankle,” Denis-Luque said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe refrigerator toppled over, our furniture, my mother-in-law, mostly her furniture, office furniture,\u00a0a lot of my academic books, a lot of stuff we had in the garage, I mean, you name it, her couch, everything was just damaged, and the floor, some of it peeled off.\u00a0It was hellish.\u201d<\/p>\n She says that since the home flooded, rain brought nervousness.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had things that we’re keeping for a kid, you know, when she grew up.\u00a0 A lot of memories lost,\u201d Denis-Luque said.<\/p>\n A map<\/a> of the area’s flood plain shows that the risk zone is much larger than previously believed in 1997.<\/p>\n Denis-Luque’s house is the second to be acquired in the region as the city works with the golf course to expand the pond into the space where the homes currently sit.<\/p>\n \u201cThe house became more like a lemon, really. You can’t sell a property without disclosing some of the issues with the property, so I think it was a good thing that they purchased the property from us and their plans,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n “These homes flooded by a few feet, so the flooding frequency and severity was very high, so we moved it up our priority to try to get a long-term solution for the entire neighborhood,” Cahoon said.<\/p>\n He says the total project will cost about $2.5 million, and work should be completed by fall 2027.<\/p>\n “We’ll preserve a lot of the trees that are surrounding the pond, but pretty much take the backyards and where the homes are and convert that into flood storage. Then, we’ll re-landscape the area to try to not only provide flood relief, but make it a community amenity,” Cahoon said.<\/p>\n While the Luque family will be losing their home, they are looking on the bright side.<\/p>\n \u201cWe get a chance to start again, hopefully to not live anywhere near any ponds,” Denis-Luque said.<\/p>\n \u201cI really think that really having a plan for this area, so it doesn’t happen or minimizing the chances of it happening again to another family or other families,\u00a0I think it’s the right thing.\u00a0The city’s doing the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.<\/p>\n Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. <\/a><\/p>\n Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.<\/p>\n Like us on Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us on Instagram <\/a>and X.<\/a><\/p>\n