Johnston secures funding for home buyouts to address flooding issues on Belfield Drive

JOHNSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. announced today that the town of Johnston has secured federal funding to address persistent flooding issues on Belfield Drive.

The approved funding, totaling over $5,000,000 from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, will be allocated towards the acquisition and restoration efforts, including demolition.

The federal government has also approved the town of Johnston’s application to purchase several of these homes on Belfield Drive, where residents have been severely affected by flooding.

The NRCS will contribute 75%, while Johnston will be responsible for 25%, assuming every property owner agrees to sells.

During the November election, the town plans to have a mitigation bond on the ballot.

If passed by voters, a portion of the proceeds from the bond will cover the town’s buyout.

In a statement, Polisena said:

“Seeing Belfield Drive submerged under water was surreal – it resembled a lake instead of solid ground. Our plan is clear: demolish homes, build detention ponds, and reroute water to prevent such incidents. The mandatory evacuations in January proved how serious this is, with water levels reaching 40 inches, even our military Humvee vehicles struggled to get through without leaving our first responders stranded in the water. For these safety reasons, we had to mandate evacuations. These buyouts are an essential, one-time opportunity for residents. The use of eminent domain to take these properties is not ideal, and we encourage residents to take this buyout opportunity. The Town cannot spend more than half a million dollars for one neighborhood, while we have other major flooding problems in the town that have to be addressed as well.”

Residents affected can expect to see more information in the coming weeks.