REPUBLIC, Mo -- It was a rude awakening for a couple here: after living in their house for years, an unexpected letter left them and dozens of other addresses in Republic under water.
Homeowners have a lot of responsibility -- property taxes, day-to-day upkeep, and insurance.
Chad and Michelle Pulford thought they had their house completely covered, but FEMA says that's not the case.
"We lived here just over six years before we got a letter from our mortgage company," Michelle said.
That letter says The Pulfords need flood insurance.
"Our insurance will be $2,500 a year unless the situation is resolved," Chad said.
To resolve the situation the Pulfords got an elevation certificate that they thought would prove they aren't in a flood zone.
"You look back and all of this is based on maps from 1980," Chad said.
The situation soon became more complicated.
"From what we are finding out now, actually, our house sits on a no-construction zone in a flood way," Michelle said.
So if the house is in a no-construction zone, how was the house allowed to be built?
"There was little documentation provided or stored or kept at the time of the house construction."
The Pulfords say few assessments or studies were done on the area when the house was built in 2001, more than five years before they bought it.
"These are things that should have been assessed prior to a building permit being signed."
Now they are looking to the City of Republic to fix the issue.
"The latest estimate, based on the city engineers, was going to be anywhere between $13,000 and $22,000," said Chad.
No representative from the City of Republic would do an on-camera interview on Tuesday but they said they are investigating the situation. As far as the city is concerned, they say they have no legal responsibility with the Pulfords and they are going to let this be handled in court.
The Pulfords have acquired an attorney but hopes it can be resolved without litigation.
"Regardless, [the studies] have to be done. The studies have to be done. It's a process we have to go through. It's just where the liability is going to fall," Michelle said.
The Pulfords say, when it does flood in the area, the runoff doesn't even come close to their house. Their lawyer has written a demand letter to City Hall, but no petition has been filed in the case yet.
Land surveyors in Republic have been swamped, working for other homeowners by re-surveying property, and asking FEMA for a 'waiver' from floodplain status.
