`)})}();}catch(e) {console.error(e)}
return vwo_$('head')[0] && vwo_$('head')[0].lastChild;})("head")}}, C_940895_39_1_2_0:{ fn:function(log,nonce=''){return (function(x) {
try{
var _vwo_sel = vwo_$("`);
!vwo_$("head").find('#1740425171461').length && vwo_$('head').append(_vwo_sel);}catch(e) {console.error(e)}
try{}catch(e) {console.error(e)}
try{const getCurrentDate = (d = new Date()) => d.toISOString().split('T')[0];
function vwoCustomEvent (labelValue) {
window.VWO = window.VWO || [];
VWO.event = VWO.event || function () {VWO.push(["event"].concat([].slice.call(arguments)))};
VWO.event("customEvent", { "label": labelValue.toString() });
}
class RadioButtonComponent {
constructor (element) {
this.radio = element.querySelector('input[type="radio"]');
this.label = element.querySelector('label');
}
get value () {
let value = this.radio.value;
if (Number.isNaN(parseFloat(value)))
return value;
if (parseFloat(value) % 1 == 0)
return parseInt(value);
return parseFloat(value);
}
set value (newValue) {
this.radio.value = newValue;
}
get text () {
return this.label.textContent;
}
set text (newText) {
if (this.label.querySelector('.form-required')) {
const labelTextNode = [...this.label.childNodes].filter(({ nodeType }) => nodeType === Node.TEXT_NODE)[0];
labelTextNode.nodeValue = newText;
} else {
this.label.textContent = newText;
}
}
get checked () {
return this.radio.checked;
}
set checked (bool) {
this.click(),
bool === true && this.radio.checked === true;
}
click () {
this.label.click();
}
select () {
this.click();
}
addEventListener (eventType, callbackFunction) {
switch (eventType) {
case 'click':
this.label.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction);
case 'change':
default:
this.radio.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction);
}
}
}
class TextFieldComponent {
constructor (element) {
this.input = element.querySelector('input[type="text"]');
this.label = element.querySelector('label');
}
get value () {
return this.input.value;
}
set value (newValue) {
this.input.dispatchEvent(new Event('focus'));
this.input.value = newValue;
this.input.dispatchEvent(new Event('keyup'));
this.input.dispatchEvent(new Event('change'));
this.input.dispatchEvent(new Event('blur'));
}
get text () {
return this.input.placeholder;
}
set text (newText) {
this.input.placeholder = newText;
}
addEventListener (eventType, callbackFunction) {
this.input.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction);
}
}
class GiftArrayButton extends RadioButtonComponent {
constructor (element) {
super(element);
}
get amount () {
return this.value;
}
set amount (newAmount) {
if (Number.isNaN(parseInt(newAmount)) || parseInt(newAmount) <= 0)
throw new Error("New amount must be a valid number greater than 0.");
newAmount = parseInt(newAmount);
this.text = '$' + newAmount;
this.value = newAmount;
}
}
class GiftArrayOtherAmount extends TextFieldComponent {
constructor (element) {
super(element);
}
get amount () {
return parseFloat(this.value);
}
set amount (newAmount) {
if (Number.isNaN(parseInt(newAmount)) || parseInt(newAmount) <= 0)
throw new Error("New amount must be a valid number greater than 0.");
newAmount = parseFloat(newAmount);
this.value = newAmount;
this.input.dispatchEvent(new Event('updateSummary'));
}
}
class GiftArray extends Array {
constructor (items) {
if (!Array.isArray(items) && items.length === 0) {
throw new Error("GiftArray: Arugment 1 is not an instance of Array with a length greater than 0:" + items.join(', '));
}
if (items.every((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayButton || item instanceof GiftArrayOtherAmount)) {
if (items.find((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayOtherAmount)) {
let temp = items.find((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayOtherAmount);
items = items.filter((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayButton);
items.push(temp);
}
} else if (items.every((item) => item instanceof HTMLElement)) {
items = items.map((item) => item.matches(".webform-component-textfield") ? new GiftArrayOtherAmount(item) : new GiftArrayButton(item));
} else {
throw new Error("GiftArray: Arugment 1 is not of type HTMLElement, HTMLElement[], or GiftArrayButton|GiftArrayButton[]:" + items.join(', '));
}
super(...items);
this.Buttons = items.filter((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayButton);
this.OtherAmountInput = items.find((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayOtherAmount);
}
get amount () {
const activeButton = this.Buttons.find((item) => item.checked);
if (activeButton.value === "other") {
const otherButton = activeButton;
if (!otherButton) {
throw new Error("GiftArray.amount: Other Button was not defined.");
}
otherButton.click();
return this.OtherAmountInput.value;
} else {
return activeButton.value;
}
}
set amount (newAmount) {
if (Number.isNaN(parseInt(newAmount)) || parseInt(newAmount) <= 0)
throw new Error("New amount must be a valid number greater than 0.");
newAmount = parseFloat(newAmount);
const matchingButton = this.find((item) => item.value === newAmount);
if (matchingButton) {
matchingButton.click();
} else {
const otherButton = this.Buttons.find((item) => item.value === "other");
otherButton.click();
this.OtherAmountInput.amount = newAmount;
}
}
addEventListeners (eventType, callbackFunction, filter = undefined) {
if (filter && typeof filter === 'function') {
const filteredItems = this.filter((item) => filter.call(this, item));
filteredItems.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction));
} else if (filter && typeof filter === 'string') {
if (filter.match(/buttons/gmi))
this.Buttons.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction));
if (filter.match(/other/gmi))
this.OtherAmountInput.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction);
} else {
this.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction));
}
}
}
class FrequencyButton extends RadioButtonComponent {
constructor (element) {
super(element);
}
get frequency () {
return this.text.match(/Monthly/gmi) ? "Monthly" : "One-Time";
}
set freqency (newAmount) {
if (Number.isNaN(parseInt(newAmount)) || parseInt(newAmount) <= 0)
throw new Error("New amount must be a valid number greater than 0.");
newAmount = parseInt(newAmount);
this.text = '$' + newAmount;
this.value = newAmount;
}
}
class FrequencyArray extends Array {
constructor (items) {
if (!Array.isArray(items) && items.length === 0) {
throw new Error("FrequencyArray: Arugment 1 is not an instance of Array with a length greater than 0:" + items.join(', '));
}
/*if (items.every((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayButton || item instanceof GiftArrayOtherAmount)) {
if (items.find((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayOtherAmount)) {
let temp = items.find((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayOtherAmount);
items = items.filter((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayButton);
items.push(temp);
}
} else*/ if (items.every((item) => item instanceof HTMLElement)) {
items = items.map((item) => item.matches(".webform-component-textfield") ? new GiftArrayOtherAmount(item) : new GiftArrayButton(item));
} else {
throw new Error("FrequencyArray: Arugment 1 is not of type HTMLElement or HTMLElement[]:" + items.join(', '));
}
super(...items);
this.Buttons = items.filter((item) => item instanceof GiftArrayButton);
}
get frequency () {
const activeButton = this.Buttons.find((item) => item.checked);
if (activeButton.value === "recurs")
return "monthly";
if (activeButton.value === "NO_RECURR")
return "one-time";
return activeButton.value;
}
set frequency (newFrequency) {
const reNewFrequencyValue = new RegExp(newFrequency, 'gmi');
const matchingButton = this.find((item) => item.value.match(reNewFrequencyValue) || item.text.match(reNewFrequencyValue));
matchingButton.click();
}
get recurring () {
return this.frequency === "monthly" ? true : false;
}
set recurring (bool) {
this.frequency = bool === true ? "monthly" : "one-time";
}
addEventListeners (eventType, callbackFunction, filter = undefined) {
if (filter && typeof filter === 'function') {
const filteredItems = this.filter((item) => filter.call(this, item));
filteredItems.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction));
} else if (filter && typeof filter === 'string') {
if (filter.match(/buttons/gmi))
this.Buttons.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction));
if (filter.match(/other/gmi))
this.OtherAmountInput.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction);
} else {
this.forEach((item) => item.addEventListener(eventType, callbackFunction));
}
}
}
//
const lockedProperty = { writable: false, configurable: false, enumerable: true };
function DonationFormAPI (elements, options = {}) {
const defaultOptions = {
min: 1.00,
max: 999999.99,
makeTabbed: false,
fakeSubmit: true,
overrideGiftArrayValues: false,
};
options = { ...defaultOptions, ...options };
//
const { frequencyRadios, submitButton, root } = elements;
const [ amountRadiosOnetime, amountRadiosMonthly ] = elements.amountRadios;
const oneTimeOtherAmountWrapper = amountRadiosOnetime.find((div) => !div.matches('.webform-component-textfield') || div.querySelector('input[type="text"]'));
const oneTimeRadioButtons = amountRadiosOnetime.filter((div) => div !== oneTimeOtherAmountWrapper);
const monthlyOtherAmountWrapper = amountRadiosMonthly.find((div) => !div.matches('.webform-component-textfield') || div.querySelector('input[type="text"]'));
const monthlyRadioButtons = amountRadiosMonthly.filter((div) => div !== monthlyOtherAmountWrapper);
const debug = {
log: (...args) => window.NA.DonationForm.DEBUG_MODE && console.log(...args),
info: (...args) => window.NA.DonationForm.DEBUG_MODE && console.log(...args),
warn: (...args) => window.NA.DonationForm.DEBUG_MODE && console.log(...args),
error: (...args) => window.NA.DonationForm.DEBUG_MODE && console.log(...args),
};
//
const api = new Object();
Object.defineProperty(api, 'root', {
value: root,
writable: false,
configurable: true,
enumerable: true,
});
Object.defineProperties(api, {
'FORM_MINIMUM': {
value: options.min || 0,
...lockedProperty
},
'FORM_MAXIMUM': {
value: options.max || Infinity,
...lockedProperty
},
});
Object.defineProperties(api, {
GiftArrays: {
value: {
"one-time": new GiftArray([ ...oneTimeRadioButtons, oneTimeOtherAmountWrapper ]),
"monthly": new GiftArray([ ...monthlyRadioButtons, monthlyOtherAmountWrapper ]),
},
writable: false,
configurable: true,
enumerable: true,
},
Frequencies: {
value: new FrequencyArray(frequencyRadios),
writable: false,
configurable: true,
enumerable: true,
},
SubmitButton: {
value: submitButton,
writable: false,
configurable: false,
enumerable: true,
}
});
Object.defineProperties(api, {
'getFrequency': {
value: async function () {
if (!this || this === null) throw new Error("validate: Unable to read API context.");
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
try {
resolve(this.Frequencies.frequency);
} catch (error) {
reject(error);
}
});
}, ...lockedProperty
},
'setFrequency': {
value: async function (frequency) {
if (!this || this === null) throw new Error("validate: Unable to read API context.");
return new Promise(async (resolve, reject) => {
try {
this.Frequencies.frequency = frequency;
if (await this.getFrequency() === frequency)
resolve(frequency);
} catch (error) {
reject(error);
}
});
}, ...lockedProperty
},
'getAmount': {
value: async function (frequency = undefined) {
if (!this || this === null) throw new Error("validate: Unable to read API context.");
return new Promise(async (resolve, reject) => {
try {
frequency = frequency || await this.getFrequency();
if (frequency && this.GiftArrays.hasOwnProperty(frequency)) {
const activeGiftArray = this.GiftArrays[frequency];
resolve(activeGiftArray.amount);
} else {
throw new Error("getAmount: Invalid frequency: " + frequency);
}
} catch (error) {
reject(error);
}
});
}, ...lockedProperty
},
'setAmount': {
value: async function (amount, frequency = undefined) {
if (!this || this === null) throw new Error("validate: Unable to read API context.");
return new Promise(async (resolve, reject) => {
try {
const currentFrequency = await this.getFrequency();
if (!frequency) {
frequency = currentFrequency;
} else if (frequency !== currentFrequency) {
frequency = await this.setFrequency(frequency);
}
if (frequency && this.GiftArrays.hasOwnProperty(frequency)) {
const activeGiftArray = this.GiftArrays[frequency];
activeGiftArray.amount = amount;
} else {
throw new Error("setAmount: Invalid frequency: " + frequency);
}
if (await this.getAmount() === amount)
resolve(amount);
} catch (error) {
reject(error);
}
});
}, ...lockedProperty
},
'getRecurring': {
value: async function () {
if (!this || this === null) throw new Error("validate: Unable to read API context.");
return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
try {
resolve(this.Frequencies.recurring);
} catch (error) {
reject(error);
}
});
}, ...lockedProperty
},
'setRecurring': {
value: async function (bool) {
if (!this || this === null) throw new Error("validate: Unable to read API context.");
return new Promise(async (resolve, reject) => {
try {
this.Frequencies.frequency = bool ? true : false;
if (await this.getRecurring() === bool)
resolve(bool);
} catch (error) {
reject(error);
}
});
}, ...lockedProperty
},
freqency: {
get () { return this.getFrequency() },
set (value) { this.setFrequency(value) },
enumerable: true, configurable: true,
},
amount: {
get () { return this.getAmount() },
set (value) { this.setAmount(value) },
enumerable: true, configurable: true,
},
recurring: {
get () { return this.getRecurring() },
set (value) { this.setRecurring(value) },
enumerable: true, configurable: true,
},
});
Object.defineProperties(api, {
'submit': {
value: async function (condition = this.validate||function(){return true}) {
//this.hooks['onBeforeSubmit'].forEach((callback) => callback.call(this));
let result;
const isAsyncFunction = (func) => func.constructor.name === "AsyncFunction";
if (Array.isArray(condition)) {
if (condition.every((c) => typeof c === 'function' && isAsyncFunction(c))) {
result = await Promise.all(condition.map(async (c) => await c.call(this)));
} else if (condition.every((c) => typeof c === 'function')) {
result = condition.every((c) => c.call(this));
} else if (condition.every((c) => c === true || c === false)) {
result = condition.every((c) => c);
}
} else if (typeof condition === 'function' && isAsyncFunction(condition)) {
result = await condition.call(this);
} else if (typeof condition === 'function') {
result = condition.call(this);
} else if (condition === true || condition === false) {
result = condition;
} else {
console.error("Unknown error.");
debugger;
}
//
if (result === true) {
if (window.NA.DonationForm.hasOwnProperty("DEBUG_MODE") && window.NA.DonationForm["DEBUG_MODE"] == true)
return console.log("Submit aborted (debug mode is enabled).");
this.SubmitButton.click(),
this.hooks['onSubmit'].forEach((callback) => callback.call(this));
//this.hooks['onAfterSubmit'].forEach((callback) => callback.call(this));
} else {
return console.log("Submit failed (conditions did not evaluate to true).");
}
}, ...lockedProperty
},
'interceptSubmit': {
value: function (handleInterceptedSubmit = () => { return new Promise((resolve) => resolve(undefined)) }) {
try {
window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy = window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy || createNewSubmitButton(window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButton, { cloneOriginal: false, hideOriginal: true, observeOriginal: false });
window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy.addEventListener('click', async (event) => {
event.preventDefault(), event.stopPropagation();
const shouldFormSubmit = await handleInterceptedSubmit.call(this, event);
if (shouldFormSubmit) {
console.info("Submit allowed by initial interceptSubmit callback function resulting in a truthy evaluation.");
const formIsValid = await window.NA.DonationForm.validate();
if (!formIsValid) { // if submit allowed but there are known errors in the form
console.warn("Form has known errors. Attempting to submit to show errors then retrying.");
console.log("Submitting...");
window.NA.DonationForm.submit(true); // submit anyway to trigger the error to be shown
window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButton.style.setProperty("display", "none"), debug.info("SubmitButton hidden."), // hide the original submit button again
window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy.style.setProperty("display", "none"), debug.info("SubmitButtonCopy hidden."); // hide the copy of the submit button again
window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy.style.removeProperty("display"), debug.info("SubmitButtonCopy unhidden."); // show the copy of the submit button
} else {
console.log("Submitting...");
window.NA.DonationForm.submit(true);
}
} else {
console.log("Submit prevented.");
console.info("Next submit will be allowed.");
window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButton.style.removeProperty("display"), debug.info("SubmitButton unhidden."); // show the original submit button so that if something goes wrong the user can still click the submit button
window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy.style.setProperty("display", "none"), debug.info("SubmitButtonCopy hidden."); // hide the copy of the submit button that intercepts submit attempts so that there aren't two buttons
}
});
console.log("Submit intercept added.\nButton:", window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy);
} catch (error) {
console.error("Failed to add submit intercept:", error);
}
}, ...lockedProperty
},
'validate': {
value: async function (root = undefined) {
if (!this || this === null)
throw new Error("validate: Unable to read API context.");
root = root || this.root;
const flattenArray = (array) => array.reduce((flat, toFlatten) => flat.concat(Array.isArray(toFlatten) ? flattenArray(toFlatten) : toFlatten), []);
try {
const freqency = await this.getFrequency(),
amount = await this.getAmount();
if (!freqency || !amount)
return false;
if (amount < this.FORM_MINIMUM || amount > this.FORM_MAXIMUM)
return console.error("validate:", "Gift amount is invalid:", amount), false;
let requiredFields = Array.from(root.querySelectorAll('label:has(.form-required)'))
.map((label) => document.getElementById(label.htmlFor) || (label.nextElementSibling || label.previousElementSibling))
.filter((_) => !!_) // remove blanks
.filter((field) => {
if (field.name && field.name.includes('[payment_information]'))
return false;
return true;
})
.map((field) => {
if (field.matches("div"))
return [...field.querySelectorAll('input')];
return field;
})
requiredFields = flattenArray(requiredFields);
const valid = requiredFields.every((input) => {
const type = input.tagName.toLowerCase() === 'select' ? 'select' : input.type;
const { name, value, id } = input;
//console.log(type, name, value);
if (name === 'submitted[payment_information][payment_fields][credit][card_number]') {
if (value && value.length === 16)
return true;
return console.error("validate:", name+':', "CC is invalid."), false;
}
if (name === 'submitted[leadership_circle]')
return true;
if (name === 'submitted[donation][other_amount]' || name === 'submitted[donation][recurring_other_amount]')
if (amount)
return true;
switch (type) {
case 'email':
const emailRegex = /^[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}$/;
if (!emailRegex.test(value))
return console.error("validate:", name+':', "Email address is invalid.\n", input, value), false;
return true;
case 'tel':
if (!value || value.length < 10)
return console.error("validate:", name+':', "Phone number is invalid.\n", input, value), false;
return true;
case 'select':
case 'radio':
case 'text':
if (!value || value.length === 0)
return console.error("validate:", name+':', "Field is invalid.\n", input, value), false;
return true;
default:
debug.log("default");
return true;
}
/*if (!value || value.length === 0)
return false;*/
});
return valid;
} catch (error) {
console.error(error);
return false;
}
}, ...lockedProperty
},
//'makeTabbed': { value: function(){} },
'DonationInterrupter': {
value: { init: initDonationInterrupter.bind(api) },
enumerable: true,
configurable: true,
writable: true,
}
});
initHooks(api, ['onFrequencyChange', 'onAmountChange', 'onTrySubmit', 'onSubmit']);
api.Frequencies.addEventListeners('change', (event) => {
if (event.target.checked) {
api.hooks['onFrequencyChange'].forEach((callback) => {
callback.call(api, event.target.value);
});
}
});
Object.entries(api.GiftArrays).forEach(([ key, GiftArray ]) => {
GiftArray.addEventListeners('change', (event) => {
if (event.target.checked) {
api.hooks['onAmountChange'].forEach((callback) => {
callback.call(api, event.target.value);
});
}
});
});
api.SubmitButton.addEventListener('click', (event) => {
api.hooks['onTrySubmit'].forEach((callback) => callback.call(api, event));
});
api.root.addEventListener('submit', (event) => {
api.hooks['onSubmit'].forEach((callback) => callback.call(api, event));
});
if (options.makeTabbed)
api.makeTabbed();
/*if (options.fakeSubmit)
window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy = window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButtonCopy || createNewSubmitButton(window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButton, { cloneOriginal: false, hideOriginal: true, observeOriginal: false });*/
return api;
}
function createNewSubmitButton (originalSubmitButton = window.NA.DonationForm.SubmitButton, options = {}) {
const defaultOptions = {
cloneOriginal: true,
hideOriginal: true,
observeOriginal: true,
};
options = { ...defaultOptions, ...options };
const newSubmitButton = document.createElement('button');
//newSubmitButton.id = "submit-button-copy";
newSubmitButton.classList.add("btn");
newSubmitButton.textContent = originalSubmitButton.value;
originalSubmitButton.after(newSubmitButton);
options.hideOriginal && originalSubmitButton.style.setProperty("display", "none");
return newSubmitButton;
}
function initHooks (api, hookNames = []) {
const hooks = Object.fromEntries(hookNames.map((hookName) => ([hookName, new Array()])));
Object.defineProperty(api, 'hooks', {
value: hooks,
...lockedProperty
});
}
function initDonationInterrupter (options = {}) {
const getExpId = () => {
let experiments = window._vwo_exp;
experiments = Object.entries(window._vwo_exp);
let id = experiments.find(([id, data]) => {
const name = data.name;
return name.match(/Donation Interrupter/);
})[1]?.id;
return id;
};
const getExpVariation = (id) => {
let experiment = window._vwo_exp[id];
return experiment.combination_chosen || experiment.combination_selected;
};
const defaultOptions = {
id: [ 'VWO', getExpId(), getExpVariation(getExpId()) ].join('-'),
tokenName: ("NA__MPR_DonationInterrupter:" + [ 'VWO', getExpId(), getExpVariation(getExpId()) ].join('-')),
min: 10,
max: 100,
askAmount: (originalAmount) => {
if (originalAmount > 500) // $500+
return false; // don't show
if (originalAmount >= 400) // $400-$500
return 50;
if (originalAmount >= 300) // $300-$399
return 40;
if (originalAmount >= 200) // $200-$299
return 30;
if (originalAmount >= 100) // $100-$199
return 15;
if (originalAmount < 100) // $100-
return 10;
return false;
},
askFrequency: (originalFrequency) => {
return "monthly";
},
popupHTML: {
headingHTML: (`
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
`),
bodyHTML: (`
Consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed nec egestas turpis, hendrerit semper nisl. Pellentesque auctor ipsum at
pharetra eleifend. Pellentesque a rhoncus turpis, ut tempus nibh. Donec vel dui hendrerit nisi imperdiet
tincidunt. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos.
Duis efficitur dolor ut nisl blandit imperdiet. Nullam pretium est nunc, tincidunt viverra ligula dapibus.
Duis malesuada:
dui eu venenatis volutpat
urna libero posuere lectus
non tincidunt mauris ligula consectetur felis
lacinia hendrerit enim at molestie
Sed placerat fringilla consequat. Nullam eu pellentesque sem?
Sixteen months have passed since Irene ripped through the spine of the Green Mountains, isolating entire communities and tearing up roads and bridges. Recovery has been slow. Although FEMA has given the green light for towns to buyout 81 homes in Vermont, no one has gotten any money yet.
“I would have expected it within a year, and that’s gone by,” says Bonnie Pemberton, whose home in Northfield, Vt., qualifies for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Program.
Under the buyout program, FEMA pays up to 75 percent of a home’s value, allowing towns to turn property located in a floodplain into green space. The idea is to prevent future flooding during even more severe storms that scientists predict will be fueled by warming, rising seas.
Pemberton’s home on Water Street sits in Northfield’s floodplain, and it was destroyed in Irene’s floods. But for Pemberton and her husband, FEMA’s decision to approve their application has so far been a symbolic one.
“We have not seen a penny,” she says. “We have not even seen the paperwork yet.”
The delay is causing a lot of stress, and after months of waiting for word from FEMA 33 homeowners in Vermont recently learned that they would be denied buyouts.
Irene Recovery Officer Sue Minter argues FEMA has denied buyouts for several homes that were demolished for health and safety reasons before towns applied for the mitigation program. She says in other parts of the country similar conditions have been accepted.
“If this is the case and we can present more information to FEMA, that’s our goal: to help towns and of course homeowners get the money that we think the program should provide for them,” Minter says.
Flood mitigation that had seemed black and white has turned many shades of gray. FEMA spokesman David Mace says local officials should have known that demolition of certain homes — even for health and safety precautions — disqualifies them for buyouts.
“FEMA certainly doesn’t like to play the role of the Grinch,” Mace says. “It’s a benefit-cost analysis that has to be performed to determine that it is in fact in the federal government’s best interest to purchase these homes and remove them from the floodplain.”
As the late afternoon sky begins to fade to black, Bonnie Pemberton leaves work at National Life Insurance in Montpelier. She’s returning — once again — to the home she and her husband have been renting for months from a doctor. Pemberton says she’s worried about the heating bills they’ll need to pay.
“There was a lot more assistance last year to help us get through [the winter] than there is this year,” she says, as a light snow falls.
All of this waiting has eroded Pemberton’s hopes and expectations. Still, she’s optimistic that they’ll eventually get the money — and that they’ll have a new home by the time the leaves turn green in the spring.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.