Final Notice and Public Explanation of a Proposed Activity in a Floodplain

Final Notice and Public Explanation of a Proposed Activity in a Floodplain To: All interested Agencies, Groups, and Individuals: This is to give notice that the HUD under 24 CFR Part 50 has conducted an evaluation as required by Executive Orders 11988 and 13690, in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 55.20 Subpart C Procedures for Making Determinations on Floodplain Management and Wetlands Protection. The activity is funded under Multifamily Housing Section 221(d)(4). The proposed project(s) is located at 1000 Aven Avenue, Greenwood, Leflore County, Mississippi. The Subject Property consists of an approximately 5.662-acre portion of one approximately rectangular-shaped parcel, identified by the County Assessor as parcel ID 10016040802800. The Subject Property is currently improved with a 75-unit multifamily residential development, including twelve apartment buildings, an administrative leasing office and community room building, and a maintenance shed. The Subject Property is known as Terrace Gardens. The Subject Property is seeking substantial rehabilitation of an existing facility with repairs beyond routine maintenance. No significant ground disturbance activities or new construction is proposed for the Subject Property at this time. According to the effective Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), Community Map Panel #28083C0239D, dated May 16, 2012, the southern portion of the Subject Property is mapped within Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) Zone AE, designated as an area within the 100-year flood zone with a base flood elevation (BFE). Structures mapped within SFHA Zone AE include Buildings 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11. No preliminary or pending maps for the vicinity of the Subject Property are available. A Letter of Map Amendment - Removal (LOMR) (Case Number 25-04-4832A) was issued on July 08, 2025 for the Subject Property. The LOMR removes Buildings 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11 from the SFHA Zone AE and revises the applicable flood zone to Shaded Zone X (levee). Areas surrounding the buildings on the southern portion of the Subject Property remain in the SFHA. The northern portion of the Subject Property is mapped within Shaded Zone X (levee), an area with reduced flood risk due to levee and according to FEMA is defined as an area outside the 100-year floodplain. However, HUD requests Shaded Zone X (levee) to be evaluated as Zone X500 (Shaded Zone X). According to the National Levee Database, the Greenwood MS East Levee System (System ID 5905000048) is a Provisionally Accredited Levee (PAL) System. According to Flood Insurance Study (FIS) Number 28083CV000B, dated January 1, 2025, the base flood elevation for the Zone AE floodplain is at 125.8 feet and the 500-year floodplain elevation is at 127.7 feet. Utilizing the 0.2-Percent-Annual-Chance Flood Approach (0.2PFA) for determining the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain, the FFRMS is defined as the 500-year floodplain; therefore, the FFRMS floodplain elevation is 127.7 feet. The finished floor elevations of the buildings at the Subject Property range from 127.7 feet to 129.8 feet, above the 100-year bfe and FFRMS floodplain elevations. The Subject Property buildings are elevated at or above and are therefore not located within the SFHA Zone AE, Shaded Zone X (levee), and FFRMS floodplains. Currently, areas surrounding the Subject Property buildings are located within the Shaded Zone X (levee) and FFRMS floodplains across the entire property and within the SFHA Zone AE floodplain on the southern portion of the Subject Property. According to the NWI Wetlands Map, there are no wetland areas mapped within the vicinity of the Subject Property. Additionally, no surface water bodies, marshy areas or other visible indications of potential wetlands areas were observed on or adjacent to the Subject Property. HUD has considered the following alternatives and mitigation measures to be taken to minimize adverse impacts and to restore and preserve natural and beneficial values: The finished floor elevations (FFEs) for the existing buildings at the Subject Property range from 127.7 to 129.8 feet, above the bfe of 125.8 feet and at or above the FFRMS floodplain elevation of 127.7 feet. The associated support mechanical equipment, including pad-mounted HVAC and electrical transformers, for seven of the thirteen buildings (Buildings 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 12, 13) is currently elevated above the bfe and at or above the FFRMS floodplain elevation. The support mechanical equipment for the remaining six buildings (Buildings 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11) will be elevated above the bfe and at or above the FFRMS floodplain elevation during substantial rehabilitation activities. The pad-mounted air conditioning units will be elevated by the general contractor by adding fill and re-pouring the concrete pads, as needed. The pad-mounted electrical transformer units will be elevated by the electrical utility provider by adding fill and re-pouring the concrete pads, as needed. Areas of the Subject Property that will remain within the SFHA 100-year floodplain include driveways, parking lots, walkways, landscaping, utility lines, etc. Areas of the Subject Property that will remain within the FFRMS floodplain include driveways, parking lots, walkways, landscaping, utility lines, etc. The existing structures, all residential units, and all support mechanical equipment are currently or will be elevated above the SFHA floodplain. As such, the Project is not expected to result in the potential loss of life, injury, or hardship to residents of the Subject Property and/or damage to the Subject Property during a 100-year flood event. Given that the highest priority of this review is to prevent the loss of life, the Subject Property has prepared an Emergency Evacuation Plan which includes an evacuation route off-site and out of the floodplain. Surface stormwater runoff at the Subject Property generally drains to storm drains, operated by the City stormwater system, and eventually drains into Walker Lake Canal. Additionally, a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), dated October 2025, is currently in place at the Subject Property. HUD has reevaluated the alternatives to support building in the floodplain and has determined that it has no practicable alternative. Environmental files that document compliance with steps 3 through 6 of Executive Orders 11988 and 13690, are available for public inspection, review and copying upon request at the times and location delineated in the last paragraph of this notice for receipt of comments. There are three primary purposes for this notice. First, people who may be affected by activities in floodplains and those who have an interest in the protection of the natural environment should be given an opportunity to express their concerns and provide information about these areas. Second, an adequate public notice program can be an important public educational tool. The dissemination of information and request for public comment about floodplains can facilitate and enhance Federal efforts to reduce the risks and impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of these special areas. Third, as a matter of fairness, when the Federal government determines it will participate in actions taking place in floodplains, it must inform those who may be put at greater or continued risk. Written comments must be received by HUD at the following address on or before: [February 14, 2026]: HUD, 400 W Bay Street, Suite 1015, Jacksonville, Florida 32202, Attention: Mark Malec, Branch Chief, Technical Team. Mark Malec's direct phone number is (904) 208-6054 and email is Mark.E.Malec@hud.gov. A full description of the project may also be reviewed from 8am to 5pm at the same address as above. Comments may also be submitted via email at FL_Webmanager@hud.gov. Jonathan Mosley, acting in his capacity as Production Division Director of the HUD Multifamily Southeast Regional Center, is the HUD Approving Official. February 6 2026 LMSS0436883