New Jersey will adopt the Federal Emergency Management's (FEMA) Advisory Base Flood Elevation maps, clearing the way for residents and business owners along the Jersey Shore to rebuild better and stronger, Gov. Chris Christie announced during a press conference in Seaside Heights Thursday afternoon.
The move comes as residents along the shore wait to find out not if they'll have to raise their homes following Hurricane Sandy, but just how high.
"If we wait, all we're doing is delaying New Jersey's recovery," Christie said, adding: "I think this is what we need to do to build a 21st century Jersey Shore."
The and recommend that residents in flood zones in 10 counties and 194 communities raise their homes on average between 1 and 5 feet. Based on a scientific analysis of recent and past storms, the flood maps estimate the kind of flooding various zones can expect during a once-a-century storm, like Hurricane Sandy.
It's anticipated that the advisory maps will be adopted by FEMA as its new flood insurance maps. While the new maps - and new insurance rates - won't become official for anywhere between 18 and 24 months, conforming to the standards of the advisory maps is necessary when it comes to rebuilding, Christie said.
By adopting the advisory maps at the state level, Christie said it removes the onus from municipalities still struggling to understand the maps and their ramifications. The move also eliminates the potential for what could have been a patchwork of non-conforming standards throughout the state.
Adoption also makes it easier for property owners to begin to rebuild by removing the need for state Department of Environmental Protection permitting, a step usually required for those looking to elevate their homes.
Christie said the state is adopting the flood maps as is, though he encouraged property owners in affected flood zones to build higher, if possible. Should FEMA determine that its advisory maps are too high in some areas, it will only benefit property owners by having buildings that are safer and more resilient to future storms, Christie said.
Using an example offered by FEMA, Christie explained the kind of flood insurance premium increases property owners could anticipate if they don't build to, or above, the new flood maps.
If a property in an A Zone, which is described as a high-hazard zone, is 4 feet below the flood maps, the owner can expect to pay up to $31,000 in insurance a year. If the property is built or elevated to the new standard, that total drops to $7,000. Another two feet above the the recommended height and that total is cut in half.
FEMA has maintained since introducing the new maps that while they are advisory, they are expected to be very similar to those adopted as the new insurance maps. FEMA officials have stated publicly that while the flood maps could go down in some areas, they will not increase.
By adopting the advisory maps, New Jersey has also made it easier for property owners to receive Increase Cost of Compliance, or ICC, funding. For those with flood insurance, ICC can provide as much as $30,000 to raise a home. Without adopting FEMA's standards, however, that money would not be released.
"I can't wait another 18 to 24 months to rebuild the Jersey Shore," Christie said. "That is an unacceptable alternative to me."
http://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=2f0a884bfb434d76af8c15c26541a545
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/americorps-workers-still-helping-tear-out-debris-from-sandy-damaged/article_a82e8e24-4b01-11e2-b663-001a4bcf887a.html
That's why towns need to review these map advisories...
What we want are our Politicians to change; 1) A thorough re-evaluation of the flood zones, in a timely fashion. 2) Evaluating if we raise the dunes a few feet if it will significantly reduce all our flood levels and insurance premiums. 3) Getting quick answers as to who gets the mitigation grants, when they get the grant and for how much. 4) Creative ways to lower our flood insurance premiums 5) Grace period of a few years before the rise in flood insurance premiums 6) FEMA to notify all homeowners of the impending new flood insurance rates and elevation requirements What we want from all Flood Insurance homeowners to do; 1) Copy and paste this email and send to your local, state, federal politicians and members of Press. 2) Form Coalition to protect our interests. 3) Spread the word to your neighbors George Kasimos www.facebook.com/StopFemaNow
im in the "exact" same boat as you....also, took out a home equity...no flood, second home my blue collar husband worked very hard for, no fema. im not complaining about having to do the repairs ourselves but the thought of putting "more money" into a home not worth 1/2 the cost....Unbelievable! was thinking of renting it for some income to one day be able to rebuild...what are your thoughts? of course the sacrifice is not getting to enjoy of course.
You need to really investigate that because if you have no mortgage on a home you are not required to have flood insurance. The only way the town could require that is if the entire structure had to be demolished and rebuilt, then you would have to comply with the new building standards. But our house is paid off and if we can't get our zone changed, I will not carry flood ins. Can't afford it. I would rather put that money into an account and in the event somehting happens it'll be there. I was told if my house is paid for they cannot force me to have flood ins. They can make you raise because of the 50% damage, but I would get an elevation certificate and challenge the zone change. its a lot less expensive to raise on block than pilings. But don't rush into anything just yet because I think things will change, too many people making noise.
[Stop FEMA now | Facebook www.facebook.com/StopFemaNow facebook/StopFemaNow. Flood-elevation maps will destroy the Shore. www.app.com. Gov. Christie's adoption of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's ...]
I trusted them and their "expertise" prior to making an offer on my home....I say we all sue. ...
I trusted them and their "expertise" prior to making an offer on my home....I say we all sue. ...
These ABFEs represent a dramatic increase over the current base flood elevations and are putting significant burdens on homeowners at a time when they can least afford it. For example, some areas of the state will see up to an eight-foot increase in their base flood elevation. This change will require homeowners to spend tens of thousands of dollars to elevate their home or be subjected to skyrocketing flood insurance premiums. For many middle-class homeowners, especially those who just lost everything to Sandy, these additional costs will simply be too much to bear. Families would be forced from their homes, resulting in gutted neighborhoods and threatening the existence of some communities. These maps will undoubtedly have a real and direct impact on people's lives, which is why it is so important that FEMA gets this process right.
That's why I sent a letter to FEMA urging the agency to review the ABFEs it issued in New Jersey. Specifically, I called on FEMA to allow communities and homeowners who believe they were inaccurately placed in a high flood risk area to challenge such rulings. Homeowners cannot afford to wait until the FEMA releases its final maps that are eligible for appeal. In addition, the federal government can provide financial assistance for those homeowners who concur with the ABFEs and want to elevate their homes. The Sandy Emergency Relief bill allocated $17 billion for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which can be used to elevate homes. In order to ensure New Jerseyans would have access to this funding, I sent a letter to Secretary Donovan urging him to make this funding available. Additionally, FEMA's hazard mitigation assistance programs provide direct assistance to local governments and communities to help cover some costs associated with rebuilding to reduce disaster losses. To ask questions and receive more information about flood insurance and the ABFEs, I encourage you to call the National Flood Insurance Program Help Center at 1-800-427-4661 or visit http://www.region2coastal.com/sandy/abfe. Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.
Everybody is rushing things and fema's notion of timetables are appalling. March lst is the cut of for a loan application and yet no one at this point knows what their final zone and its requirements will be. It's hard to know just how much to borrow without that critical information which won't be available before or on March lst. They are talking about September but the sand dunes apparently won't be on the map so we will have to overbuild because they aren't going to provide the full picture of what this area will look like in a year. Fema isn't organized within itself and it is wrecking havoc on people who want to the right thing but within reason. The Governor should not have just blindly accepted any maps from Fema and now puts it on homeowners to fight the continuing bad data Fema puts out. Not many town governments are helping the residents who were hit by the storm so it means one house at a time at great expense to the homeowners who are running out of money.
Don't have any suggestions for your plight other than to stand behind John McDonough over there. Mr McDonough I think has an opportunity to start a political movement to take on Toms River. Whether he's amendable, that's up to the people over there to show support. . .which I have trepidations about? Another point: there are other ways to look at USACE proposed dunes protection. One being politically... Who chiefly stands to benefit(#): the part time residents on Ortley Beach who can't vote, or the TR mainland voters, who were much more(#) effected by the breach? That's a kind of quagmire...and probably adds to why nothing gets done.