|
|
 |
|
|
Frequently Asked Questions: Sale of District Property
Does the Harris County Flood Control District sell surplus properties from its inventory?
The District does occasionally sell property, although such sales are infrequent. In order for property to be sold, it must be declared surplus, i.e., it must be determined that it cannot contribute to District purposes.
Does the District sell buyout lots?
Buyout properties purchased with federal funds must remain in government ownership and must be dedicated as recreational or open space in perpetuity. While it may be possible to sell buyout properties purchased without federal funds, it is usually very unlikely. The District will not consider selling any of these properties before the new flood plain maps have been finalized. The initial Flood Hazard Recovery Data related to these maps can be reviewed at www.tsarp.org.
What properties are for sale right now?
There are no properties for sale at this time.
What properties have been sold in the last six months?
No properties have been sold in the last six months.
What properties does the District anticipate selling in the next six months?
The District does not anticipate selling any surplus property in the next six months.
How are properties sold by the District?
First, the property must be declared surplus by the District's governing body - the Harris County Commissioners Court. Surplus properties are usually sold at public auction, unless the sale is to another government agency or the property has no value to anyone other than the sole adjacent property owner (a non-stand-alone property).
How do I approach the District if I am interested in a particular property?
If you are interested in purchasing District property, you must submit a written request to the District, to the attention of the Infrastructure Division Manager. The property in question will be evaluated to determine if it is a surplus property.
If the property is determined to be surplus, the property will be sold by the Harris County Right of Way Department (ROW). ROW will initiate a public auction process, which will require that the party initially requesting the sale pay an appraisal fee and a public advertising fee up front. These fees may range from $1,000 to $3,000 and will not be applied to the sale price.
The availability of the property will be advertised in a newspaper with countywide distribution (usually the Houston Chronicle) with solicitation for submittal of sealed bids. The District reserves the right to not sell the property if a minimum bid amount, usually the appraised value according to ROW, is not reached.
The high bidder will be required to pay the appraisal and public advertising fees, and the party initially requesting the sale will be reimbursed for those expenses if that party is not the high bidder.
Where can I find more information on District-owned property?
Property ownership information is available from the Harris County Appraisal District, the Harris County Clerk's office and real estate professionals.
Can I lease property? How?
The District does lease property that it owns. The most common agreements are non-commercial in nature and allow neighbors to 'adopt' buyout lots adjacent to their property. Leasing property does not ensure preferential treatment if the leased property becomes available for sale. If you are interested in leasing District property, please call the District and ask for the Agreement Coordinator.
|
|
|
|
|
