Disaster Recovery
Flood Event in Columbia County, Oregon
December 2007
Damage Assessment
Assisting Emergency Management Team
with GIS
Initial Damage Assessment to Determine
Disaster Level
Notifying Affected Property Owners
Damage Assessment for Proration of
Taxes
Damage/Repair Inspections for Annual Reassessment
Assisting Emergency Management
Team with GIS
Assist Emergency Operations Center (EOC) by
providing maps showing transportation routes,
waterways, elevation, population centers and
critical infrastructure (schools, medical, shelters).
Update maps using daily incident report from the
various response groups.
EOC use the updated maps for daily briefings to
track progress and shift resources where needed.
Initial Damage Assessment to
Determine Disaster Level
Appraisers assist in identifying flood damaged
properties.
Generate map lists for use in identification.
Use maps and map lists in field to determine
percent of damage for FEMA purposes.
FEMA Flood Damage Guide
10%
Water under the house,
most likely duct work and
insulation under the house
was affected.
20%
Carpets and flooring
affected.
60%
Water rose above electrical
outlets affecting sheetrock,
wall insulation and possible
wiring damage.
90%
Water within 2 feet of ceiling
requiring numerous items to
be replaced including attic
insulation.
Notifying Affected Property Owners
Create address data file using initial damage
assessment spreadsheet and linking to A&T
Database.
Create form letter and merge with data file.
Mail letters with 'Application for Proration of
Property Taxes Due to Damage or Destruction by
Fire or Act of God'.
Select a location near the area that sustained the
most damage to accept applications and inspect
properties.
Columbia County Assessor
230 Strand St, Saint Helens, OR 97051 ■ Phone: (503) 397-2240 ■ Fax: (503) 397-5153 ■ Website: www.co.columbia.or.us
December 20, 2007
FIELD(OWNER)
FIELD(AGENT)
FIELD(M_ADDRESS)
FIELD(CITY_ST_ZIP)
RE: Columbia County Tax Account FIELD(ACCOUNT_ID)
Situs Address: FIELD(SITUS_ADD)
Your property referenced above has been identified as having
structures that may have sustained damage from the recent flood. If
the damage is significant, you may be entitled to a partial refund of
your 2007-08 property taxes.
Enclosed you will find an Application for Proration of Property Taxes
Due to Property Damage/Destruction By Fire or Act of God, and a
circular that explains the program. If you wish to have your 2007-08
property taxes considered for proration, please complete the
application and either mail it to our office or bring it to Vernonia City
Hall during the week of January 7-11, 2008.
Damage Assessment for Proration
of Taxes
Additional help may be needed to complete
reviews timely and a neighboring county may be
able to loan appraisers through an IGA.
Appraisers work in teams of two.
As applications are received, they are assigned
to the team that will be inspecting property in that
area.
All flooded properties are inspected whether or
not an application is filed.
Damage Assessment for Proration
of Taxes
New construction percentage guides are used to
estimate extent of damage.
Telephone numbers are exchanged among all
staff, supervisor remains on site to accept
applications, assign work and answer questions
from both staff and public.
Damaged improvements are identified by stat
class and/or description and damage percentage
is documented.
Damage Assessment for Proration
of Taxes
Values and Damage percentages are entered
into a spreadsheet to determine the amount, if
any, of the proration.
Data files are created from the spreadsheet
linked to the A&T database and form letters are
created to easily generate letters to notify
property owners of the results.
Act Of God Applications Due to Flood In December 2007
Calculation of Value Loss for Proration
Account ID
Total RMV
before Act
of God
Total AV
before Act
of God
RMV of
Affected Imp(s)
before Act of
God
Damage
Percent
RMV after Act
of God
Value %
of Loss
23061
128,850
99,980
78,170
72%
72,570
27.42%
23062
95,250
74,450
60,020
71%
52,640
29.29%
22506
242,170
126,780
191,390
63%
121,590
4.09%
22350
196,880
138,380
152,690
79%
76,250
44.90%
22347
239,130
174.400
190,930
49%
145,570
16.53%
22348
245,260
154,030
195,410
71%
106,520
30.84%
22345
171,670
126,650
126,140
53%
104,820
17.24%
22358
125,270
65,840
85,200
58%
75,850
0.00%
22880
183,740
112,560
132,750
43%
126,660
0.00%
22830
163,300
67,890
106,440
52%
107,950
0.00%
22973
146,210
72,800
98,870
34%
113,270
0.00%
22920
99,800
47,510
67,770
57%
61,170
0.00%
Damage/Repair Inspections for
Annual Re-Assessment
Generate letters for affected properties and
include self-addressed stamped envelope and a
form for the property owner to complete
describing any repairs that have been made as of
January 1.
Forms that are returned and include enough
information can be used to re-assess the property
without a site inspection to reduce the resources
needed to complete all the reviews.
Columbia County Assessor
Flood Damage Repair Status
Acct ID:
Map ID:
Please check the appropriate box below:
Structures were completely repaired by January 1, 2009
No repairs were made to structures by January 1, 2009
Structures were partially repaired by January 1, 2009
For structures that were partially repaired, please describe items that have not yet
been completed:
If repairs included major upgrades or downgrades, describe those changes below:
Additional comments:
Damage/Repair Inspections for
Annual Re-Assessment
Schedule site inspections to review properties
where the owner did not return a form or where
the form did not provide enough information.
Work together with other agencies to determine
which properties are being considered for buyout
due to location in the flood plain.
Disaster Recovery Damage
Assessment
Stay in contact with other agencies that are
providing disaster relief.
Use technology as much as possible to
reduce impact on limited resources
Plan your course of action but be sure to
be flexible if needs change or another
solution would increase efficiency
Document all time spent on the recovery
effort as it is often at least partially
reimbursable through grants and/or FEMA
Disaster Recovery
Flood Event in Columbia County, Oregon
December 2007