Post Sandy Flood Insurance Choices

$20,000 a year for flood insurance? Sandy survivors face tough rebuilding choices.

TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Thousands of homeowners in New York and New Jersey impacted by Hurricane Sandy are facing a tough choice that may thwart their efforts to rebuild: Comply with costly new federal construction guidelines or prepare to pay annual flood insurance rates that could top $20,000.

New federal flood maps revealed in June added 68,000 structures in New York City and thousands more in New Jersey to flood zones. Now, affected homeowners are being forced to make drastic changes to their residences, such as elevating them on pilings, or incur punishing new insurance premiums that will take effect by mid-2015. Given the new rules, many Sandy survivors are grappling with whether they should alter their properties – or leave.

Kevin Faller and Karen Spanover, of Toms River, N.J., learned that they would have to invest tens of thousands of dollars to elevate their home or else pay higher flood insurance premiums.

“We are faced with something that we can’t overcome,” said police officer Kevin Faller, 52, a Toms River resident who has decided to give up his home rather than comply with the new requirements. Having already lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in home equity post-Sandy, Faller said he and his wife could not afford “this tsunami of expenses coming toward us.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency began updating coastal flood maps across the country in 2009, a process it expects to complete by 2017. In New York City and New Jersey, the work began a few years before Hurricane Sandy struck on Oct. 29, 2012, damaging or destroying 365,000 homes in New Jersey and another 20,000 in New York City. After a public comment period, the region’s maps are expected to become final by mid-2015, putting into effect new insurance premiums.

The agency, which has released estimates showing that rates could range from a few hundred dollars for the most compliant residences to $1,800, $10,700 and more than $20,000, says individual premiums will vary and homeowners must consult an insurance agent to determine what they will pay.

Making matters worse for coastal homeowners, federally subsidized flood insurance for primary residences will start to phase out by late next year, eventually forcing about 1.1 million property owners to pay the substantially higher full-market rates. A law passed by Congress last summer eliminated subsidies for the National Flood Insurance Program, which is $24 billion in debt in the wake of massive storms such as Hurricane Katrina.

“Unfortunately, [Sandy survivors] are suffering through this catastrophic event and they are looking at increased insurance premiums,” said Bill McDonnell, FEMA’s mitigation branch director for New Jersey and an agency specialist for New York. “What we are hoping, though, is that [Sandy] has raised the awareness of the probability of this occurring again” and that homeowners “mitigate their properties to become more resilient.”
A new home under construction in Breezy Point, N.Y., where property owners are required to elevate their homes or incur drastic hikes to their insurance premiums.

“They may be putting out more money now,” he said. “But in the end they are going to suffer less damage to their property and the potential loss of life as well.”

With that in mind, some families are moving ahead to comply with the new requirements despite the cost. Based on an early map released by FEMA in mid-December, Marlo Lutz, 44, and her husband, Darrin, 47, decided to elevate their two-floor Toms River home to 13 feet on pillars and piers, a $65,000 investment that required cashing in a college fund and raiding savings.

“I’ll never have to worry again when there’s a storm,” Marlo said. “Everything about it is just going to be better for us.”

In Breezy Point, N.Y., a coastal enclave hard-hit by Sandy, homeowner Jim Kelly has made a similar calculation. So far, Kelly has spent $104,000 to raise his home to 8.5 feet, with more work to go. He and his wife have used savings and dipped into their 401(k) plans to help cover construction costs, which are expected to reach $220,000.

For Kelly, raising his property has been expensive, time-consuming and stressful, but he said he is just anxious to move his wife Samantha and their 5-year-old son Aiden back home, hopefully by Thanksgiving. “It’s definitely been rough, to say the least,” he said.

FEMA

FEMA’s draft schedule of preliminary flood insurance rate maps for coastal counties.

Some Sandy survivors are finding the hassle and cost of complying with the new guidelines to be insurmountable.

When FEMA released the early version of the flood maps, John “Jack” Thompson, a 70-year-old mechanical engineer, discovered that his small ranch home in Toms River would have to be raised from six to 14 feet and placed on pilings. If he didn’t comply, he learned, his future annual flood insurance could skyrocket to about $31,000. (FEMA has adjusted that estimate to more than $20,000.)

Though FEMA eased the rebuilding requirements for his neighborhood in June, the value of Thompson’s home has plummeted from around $400,000 to $10,000, according to a county tax assessment. He is contemplating using his flood insurance payments to pay off his mortgage, tear his home down and leave. The storm’s aftermath, Thompson said, has left him financially “dead” and his dreams of retirement postponed.

Meanwhile, half of the homes around him are empty, about ten have been demolished and many are for sale. “It’s depressing. I really hate to think about it,” he said of the changes in his once lively neighborhood situated on tiny lagoons.

Some government aid is available to homeowners trying to meet the new guidelines. New Jersey will provide grants of up to $150,000, a FEMA-funded grant will offer $30,000, and those insured by the NFIP can receive up to another $30,000. New York City said it would also give money to homeowners to elevate their properties through U.S. Department of Housing (HUD) funds.
Jack Thompson stands in his Toms River home, which would need to be elevated to comply with new FEMA rules.

But according to Marc Roy, chief of staff for FEMA’s Louisiana operations in 2006-07, such grant programs don’t always work. He criticized “The Road Home,” a HUD program administered in Louisiana after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita as having had “limited success.”

“That program was marked by all kinds of cost overruns and mismanagement and pretty much has faded from view,” said Roy, an adjunct professor at Tulane University’s Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy. (According to HUD, nearly 130,000 residents – or 99 percent of eligible applicants – had received more than $8.9 billion from the program).

When homeowners struggle to pay for repairs to their storm-damaged properties, some foreclose and leave, devastating the local housing market, said Roy, whose New Orleans neighborhood experienced about ten foreclosures post-Katrina. “Responsible people are having their whole lives ruined … as a result of both the natural catastrophe and the man-made part of the catastrophe, which is poor assistance being available to those who have really worked for it,” he said.

Faller and his wife Karen Spanover, 46, aren’t waiting for government aid. In January, the couple decided to give up their home in Toms River, believing that investing tens of thousands of dollars to comply with FEMA’s new rules would not be worth it in their struggling neighborhood. They’ve asked their bank to accept a deed in lieu of foreclosure, in which they would hand their home back to the lender.

Faller said he tried to see the tough choice as a business decision, while Spanover said it was ultimately one of “survival.”

“We’ve been fighting for so long,” Spanover said. “Every time we see light at the end of the tunnel it kind of closes. We’re definitely still hoping for the best.”

Are you facing new FEMA requirements for your area? Contact the reporter with your story at miranda.leitsinger@nbcuni.com

Source of this article: By Miranda Leitsinger, Staff Writer, NBC News

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Sandy-Damaged Homes in NJ Starting to Be Leveled

About 3,000 of the estimated 300,000 New Jersey homes that received some storm damage will be torn down.

Along the New Jersey shore this year, the sounds of summer include earth-moving equipment still cleaning up the devastation wrought last year by Sandy.

Officials say knocking down the homes that are too damaged to repair is a key part of the rebuilding process.

“We can’t start rebuilding until we get the demolition done,” Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin said Wednesday during a tour of demolition being done in two barrier-island communities slammed by the storm.

Martin said about 3,000 of the estimated 300,000 New Jersey homes that received some storm damage will be torn down. So far, about 500 have been razed and many more will be soon.

In one program run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the federal government pays 90 percent of demolition costs, with towns picking up the rest. So far, that program is being used in Brick and Toms River, and five other communities are in various stages of joining.

In the Normandy Beach section of Toms River, Rich and Janine Hennion watched and took pictures as an equipment operator knocked down their five-bedroom beachfront second home like it was a model, tossing aside a water heater, washer and dryer and a prized autographed photo of Larry Bird. The house, leaning back toward the beach, was in such bad shape that the owners never had a chance to get anything out after the storm.

“We’ve got to tear is down before we rebuild,” Rich Hennion said. “It’s a step in the right direction.”

The couple, who also live in Totowa, were planning to meet with an architect later Wednesday to plan their replacement house.

Martin said the state is pushing rebuilding quickly while maintaining environmental standards.

“We can walk and chew gum at the same time,” he said.

Source By Geoff Mulvihill at www.nbcnewyork.com

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New FEMA Flood Maps Released

FEMA releases updated flood maps for 4 New Jersey counties

Thousands of homes along New Jersey’s coastline have been shifted out of the most at-risk flood zone, according to revised maps posted online during the weekend by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Find Out Your Advisory Base 

Flood Elevation: CLICK HERE

A spokesman for the federal agency declined to comment on the data Sunday, except to say the revised maps for Atlantic, Hudson, Monmouth and Ocean counties officially would be released today. But local officials said the updated maps significantly reduce the scope of areas susceptible to major waves, known as “V” zones. Homes in those zones must be elevated on pilings, which could cost tens of thousands of dollars more than raising a home in less at-risk areas.

“I am absolutely thrilled,” Brick Mayor Stephen Acropolis said Sunday, but he added, “I was hoping that it wouldn’t have taken this long.”

The federal agency provided advisory maps late last year to serve as guidance for storm victims rebuilding in Hurricane Sandy’s wake, but residents and officials balked at the expansion of the “V” zone.

The number of homes in the high-risk area in Brick jumped from 400 to 4,000 in the advisory maps, a designation that left many homeowners unsure whether they could afford to rebuild, Acropolis said.

Acropolis said he expects at least 3,000 homes to have been moved back into the “A” zone in the updated maps. For “a lot of those people,” he said, “it’s going to be giving them an opportunity to move forward.

Search the new FEMA flood maps: CLICK HERE

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has released updated flood maps for four New Jersey counties — Atlantic, Hudson, Monmouth and Ocean. These maps are meant to supersede the Advisory Base Flood Elevations released earlier by the agency. Zoom in or search by address in the interactive map below to see the new flood zones.

“We’re gearing up now for a flood of building permits,” Acropolis said.

But homeowners still face other obstacles as they rebuild, Acropolis said.

“With these maps, there are so many other issues that are going to have to be addressed,” he said, like finding enough money and available contractors to complete repairs. “It’s just a small battle. It’s not the war.”

Other local officials also cheered the removal of large swaths of coastal communities from the high-risk flood zone.

In Sea Bright, Mayor Dina Long said the working maps left very few borough homes in the “V” zone. Homes in the downtown area have been rezoned and now require homeowners to lift their houses to around 7 to 9 feet, instead of about 13 or 14 feet, Long said.

They also no longer have to move their houses or use a costly, screwlike form of pilings called helical piles during the elevation work, she said.

“It’s still a challenge, but at least it doesn’t seem impossible,” Long said.

The maps provided hope for Alan Sum and Sue DiMassa, a couple who live on Surf Street in Sea Bright. Their home, already elevated 10 feet above sea level, would have had to be raised several feet higher on pilings had it stayed in the “V” zone.

“We bought this house because we knew it was already high,” said DiMassa, a 32-year-old occupational therapist. “I guess it just wasn’t high enough.”

Elevating the home further would mean “destroying everything” that supported the house, Sum said, and it would mean being displaced a second time because the home would have to be moved while the pilings are installed.

But the couple believe their home complies with the revised base-flood elevations, ending months of anxiety.

“Financially, we can breathe easier now,” said Sum, a 32-year-old project manager.

Raising a home in a “V” zone could cost up to $30,000 more than in an “A” zone, said Jim Matarazzo, an architect who founded Coastal Architecture Design Build.

So the reduction in the highest-risk flood zone translates into a substantial savings for many homeowners. “Now that it’s just a lift on block, it’s much cheaper,” he said.

Matarazzo, who owns a Sandy-damaged home in the Shore Acres section of Brick, said that although the revised maps moved his waterfront property out of the “V” zone, he still plans to build his new home to those standards.

“(The maps) show the “V” zone coming right up to the bulkhead,” he said. “I’m definitely going to stick the pilings on my house.”

Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher said the revised maps also decreased the expansive “V” zone in his town.

“It looks like pretty much the entire mainland and parts of the beach areas have been changed from a ‘V’ to ‘A,’ ” he said.

Kelaher said he’d have a better handle of the exact number of homes moved back into the “A” zone today, but a news release published on the township’s website Friday said FEMA indicated there had been at least a 40-50 percent reduction in the “V” zone in Toms River.

“We’re anticipating this is going to cause a rush on the town hall building department,” Kelaher said. So Toms River, like Brick, is readying more resources to handle the anticipated surge in demand.

George Kasimos, a Toms River resident and founder of the group Stop FEMA Now, said the revised maps look like the “first good news we had since Sandy. It looks like a majority of the homes that are not on the bayfront or the oceanfront have been reduced to ‘A’ zone and some of the elevations have actually been lowered.”

But Kasimos — whose home was moved out of the “V” zone — said the good news follows months of uncertainty for homeowners.

“If they had this information seven months ago, they could have already been in their house,” he said. “Now they’re saying I might be able to afford it, maybe, and now I can start rebuilding.”

Source By Erin O’Neill and Eugene Paik/The Star-Ledger

Find Out Your Advisory Base Flood Elevation: 

CLICK HERE

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What is my Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE)?

Find out what your property’s ABFE is here: 

As communities, residents and business owners along the coastlines of New York and New Jersey begin to recover from the effects of Hurricane Sandy, it is important for individuals to understand their flood risk.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as the administrator of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), has prepared Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFE) utilizing on-going coastal studies that were underway for the North Atlantic Coast prior to Hurricane Sandy.  This advisory information will provide the communities, residents and business owners in the ABFE mapping area with more precise information about the flood risk they face, allowing them to make more informed decisions to reduce their personal risk to life and property.This may have you wondering…

What is My Property’s ABFE?
The interactive tool below can assist you in determining the current and advisory flood risk of your property*.  To find out what information is available for your property, follow these three easy steps:1.    Enter your address into the field below and click the “Get Details” button. Internet Explorer users: You must click‘No’ if a security warning pop up window appears on your screen in order for information to display correctly in the report after clicking the “Get Details” button.
2.    A “flag” (graphic) will be added to the map banner below indicating the location the tool will provide information at.  Find your home on the map and click on your house.
3.    The data fields below the map banner will provide you with an overview of ABFE and related information at the location you placed the flag (graphic).  Print the report and take it to your local building and permitting authority to understand the building requirements for your property.

Below the report, you will find information on what you can do with the ABFE information.  For more detailed information about ABFEs visit the Hurricane Sandy ABFE Homepage and read the ABFE FAQ.

*DISCLAIMER: The information generated on each report is dependent on the location of the point location of the flag (graphic). The flood information included in the report tables below is not a determination. Results from the What is My ABFE Tool are not intended for insurance rating purposes and is for information only. The positional accuracy may be compromised in some areas. The address locator is not 100% accurate in identifying your address. Property owners should contact your local floodplain administrator for more information or to view an official copy of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps and discuss the ABFEs in the vicinity of their property prior to starting any reconstruction activity.

If you have any questions about what you are looking at, click with your mouse on the hyperlinked question in the left column and a glossary will provide you a definition of what is being described.

What Does it Mean if the Report shows ‘N/A’ for All Fields?    The ‘What is my ABFE’ tool will return ‘N/A’ results in 2 situations: 1) in cases where ABFE data is not yet available for a location and 2) in cases where the location is not in an Advisory flood zone.  ABFE data has been released for the following counties to date:  Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union (New Jersey).  Therefore, if your property is located in one of these counties and you receive ‘N/A’ results, it is most likely you are not located in an Advisory flood zone. 

If you click on the ‘Link to Web Tool’ in the report, it will bring up the ABFE map for your location – this is an easy way that you can see your location on the map and any flood zones in the vicinity.  Even if you are not actually located in an Advisory flood zone, you should still consider purchasing flood insurance if you are close to an Advisory flood zone to reduce the chance of financial impacts in case a flood does occur in the future.

What Should I Do With The ABFE Information in the Report?    
As you make decisions for rebuilding and reconstruction, the information provided by the What is My ABFE Tool will provide you an understanding of the possibility of flooding and coastal wave actions that affect your property.  Investigations conducted by FEMA and other organizations after major coastal disasters have consistently shown that properly sited, well-designed, and well-constructed coastal residential buildings generally perform well. This information can assist you in your rebuilding efforts and provides a centralized point of risk information for you to discuss permitting requirements with your local building and permitting staff.•    Local building and permitting varies by community. This information will allow you to meet with your local building and permitting authority to discuss your individual property building requirements.•    Before building, property and business owners should consult their local government officials to determine the mandatory elevations and any construction requirements for their home or building.•    Consider elevating your home’s lowest floor above the Base Flood Elevation.  Elevating your structure is a good way to reduce your risk of flooding even if your property is not currently subject to flooding.•    Elevating your home above the Base Flood Elevation or Advisory Base Flood Elevation (whichever is higher) will also provide a future reduction in flood insurance premiums.•    If your property is subject to coastal wave action, consider breakaway walls and other structural building measures that will allow the building to remain after a storm event.•    Consider relocating your structure (if possible) to minimize the hazards your home or business may encounter.Visit the ABFE Toolkit for Property Owners webpage for answers to common questions about the ABFEs and helpful fact sheets and websites regarding ABFEs, rebuilding, flood insurance and other topics.Questions or comments?  Call the National Flood Insurance Program Help Center at 1(800) 427-4661 or contact us through our online form today.

Under its Risk MAP Program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing quality flood hazard information to help communities plan for and reduce the risk from flooding. As part of that effort, the FEMA Region II office has initiated a coastal flood study to update the information shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for 14 coastal New Jersey counties and New York City. The FIRM shows each community’s flood hazards and is a requirement for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  The FIRM is used to determine who must buy flood insurance and where floodplain development regulations apply.

For additional information, the FEMA website, which will be updated as progress on the coastal flood study continues, will include links to the online preliminary FIRM panels (once completed), and details on public meetings to review those preliminary results. We encourage you to explore this website to learn more - be sure to check back regularly for updates. In the meantime, there are steps that you can take now to keep your communities and families safe from flood risk: 

Know your risk – Understand the risk of flooding in your area.View your community’s current flood hazard maps and check back here for updates on the project underway. View  Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) information being developed by FEMA to help communities, property owners and others make informed decisions about rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Know your role – Understand the role you play when disaster strikes and how you can reduce the impact flooding has on you and your loved ones, your property, and your community. VisitReady.gov (or Ready New York for New York residents) to learn about ways to get prepared and FloodSmart.gov for more information on flood risk and flood insurance. 

Take action – Visit Ready.gov (or Ready New York for New York residents) to learn how to get prepared. Then, tell others about your community’s flood risk and what steps they can take to keep safe from flooding.

Coastal Mapping Basics

Introduction

The effects of tides, combined with large amounts of water and waves from storms make coastal areas some of the most at-risk areas when it comes to flooding.  To identify and map coastal flood hazards accurately, many factors must be taken into account, such as the amount of development in the area, the types and strength of storms that historically have affected the area, and the onshore and offshore topography.  This section provides an overview of the steps involved to identify and map the coastal flood hazards shown on the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).  The FIRM is used to determine flood insurance requirements for residents and where floodplain development regulations apply in a community.

Special Flood Hazard Areas and Base Flood Elevations

Each FIRM shows Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), or the areas subject to flooding by a storm or flood event that has a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.  The SFHA includes all ‘A’ and ‘V’ FIRM zones, the most common being:  A, AO, AH, AE, VE, and V.  For a full listing of flood zones with detailed descriptions, visit FEMA’s Flood Zones webpage.  Insurance rates and building requirements are tied to SFHA boundaries and the Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) that are established for these areas and shown on the FIRM.  A BFE is the water level expected in the SFHA for a one-percent-annual-chance flood event.  To accurately model and map coastal SFHAs and BFEs, study teams made up of engineers, coastal scientists, surveyors, and mapping specialists conduct coastal flood studies that include storm surge analysis and overland wave modeling.  The process is described below.

 

A mesh, or high resolutiongrid, developed when modeling storm surge using the ADCIRC computer model.

Coastal Storm Surge Analysis

Coastal flooding is usually caused by coastal storms, including tropical storms, hurricanes, and nor’easters.  Storm surge is the amount of water, combined with the effect of normal tides that is pushed towards the shore during a storm.  The height of the storm surge is driven by many variables, such as the strength and size of the storm, as well as how quickly and the direction in which the storm moves.  Using information from historical storms that have affected the study area, a representative set of storm events are determined and then modeled.  The storm surge elevations generated from this model are then used to determine the probability of a storm surge event of a given magnitude (for example, a storm that has a one percent chance of occurring in a given year).Storm surge analyses for FEMA coastal flood studies are often performed using the ADCIRC (ADvanced CIRCulation) coastal circulation and storm surge computer model in conjunction with the Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) computer model.  Once complete, the storm surge analysis will result in the development of stillwater elevations for the one-percent-annual-chance flood event.   A stillwater elevation does not take into account all effects from waves coming ashore during a storm event.  Therefore, a separate overland wave modeling analysis is needed in addition to the storm surge analysis to accurately determine coastal SFHAs and BFEs.

Overland Wave Modeling

In addition to storm surge, waves play an important role in coastal flooding.  An overland wave modeling analysis is required to fully evaluate the effect that waves have on coastal areas during a flood event.  FEMA typically uses a computer simulation model called the Wave Height Analysis for Flood Insurance Studies (WHAFIS) to perform overland wave modeling.  This model takes into account water depth, wind speed, vegetative cover, building density, and other factors to predict the heights of waves, which plays an important role in determining coastal BFEs and flood zones.  Wave runup and wave setup (discussed below) are also important factors in overland wave modeling.

Wave runup. The rush of water that extends inland when waves come ashore is called ‘wave runup.’  The overland wave analysis will determine the elevations to which wave runup extends during a storm event.  These elevations may be higher than the stillwater elevations computed as part of the storm surge analysis.

Wave setup. In addition to the effects of wave runup and the computed storm surge stillwater elevation, there is also an increase in the water level caused by waves breaking ashore during a storm event.  This increase in the water level is called ‘wave setup’, which can be a significant factor in determining coastal BFEs.  Wave setup is affected by the height of the waves, the speed at which waves approach the shore, and the slope of the ground near the shore.

Erosion (or, the removal of soil) due to storms and the presence of coastal structures, such as seawalls are also taken into account when overland wave modeling is performed.

  

The coastal storm surge stillwater elevation (SWEL) and

the added effects of wave setup and wave runup.

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Detail from a coastal FIRM.

Mapping Coastal Hazards

Once the coastal storm surge analysis and overland wave modeling are complete, the most up-to-date topographic information available will be used to map the coastal SFHA boundaries based on the results of these analyses.  BFEs will also be added to the FIRM at this point in the mapping process. The different flood risk zones that comprise the coastal SFHA – ‘V’ zones and ‘A’ zones (described below), will also be delineated.

Coastal High Hazard Areas (V Zones)

Coastal high hazard areas, designated as V zones on the FIRM, are the areas of the coastal floodplain subject to the highest risk.  Typically, this is the area where the computed wave heights for the base (one-percent-annual-chance) flood are 3 feet or more.  V zones are subject to more stringent building requirements and different flood insurance rates than other zones shown on the FIRM because these areas are exposed to a higher level of risk than other coastal flooding areas.

Coastal A Zones

Portions of the SFHA landward of a V zone (i.e., areas where wave heights are computed as less than 3 feet) are mapped as ‘A’ zones on the FIRM.  While the wave forces in coastal A zones are not as severe as those in V zones, the capacity for the damage or destruction of buildings is still present.

Diagram:  The Coastal Flood Zone

V zones are portions of the SFHA where wave heights are greater than three feet.  These areas are subject to more stringent building requirements than coastal A zones because the risk from coastal flooding is greater.

Coastal BFEs take into account both the storm surge ‘stillwater’ elevation and additional effects from waves.  

Limit of Moderate Wave Action

An additional area that may be shown on coastal FIRMs for informational purposes is the Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA).  The LiMWA identifies areas that will be affected by waves with a 1.5 foot wave height or greater within the coastal A zone.  While FEMA currently does not require special floodplain management standards or flood insurance purchase requirements based on LiMWA delineations, it is likely that properties and structures within the LiMWA will receive substantial damage from wave action during a one-percent-annual-chance flood event.  As a result, communities are encouraged to adopt the more stringent building construction standards applicable for V Zones in these areas.

Diagram:  The Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) 

The LiMWA is the area within the coastal A zone where wave heights are between 1.5 and 3 feet.  These areas will likely be subject to substantial damage during a one-percent-annual chance flood event. 

Learn More

More information about the nation’s coastal resources, including additional information on coastal flood risk and storm surge, can be found on NOAA’s State of the Coast website or through the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve online Coastal Training Program.  For general questions about FEMA flood hazard mapping, contact the FEMA Map Information eXchange.  For specific questions about the New Jersey and New York coastal flood study, contact us through our online form.

Information for Disaster Survivors and Recovering Communities

FEMA continues to lead the Federal government’s effort to provide assistance and support to States affected by Hurricane Sandy, ensuring Federal agencies and their public and private partners continue to provide all available resources toState, local, and tribal communities in affected areas. This page lists helpful resources to support recovery and rebuilding efforts by individuals, business owners and communities affected by Sandy.

General Information

FEMA’s Hurricane Sandy homepage provides the latest information on available FEMA assistance and recovery initiatives with materials in nine different languages.  Additional information for New Jersey residents is available through the State of New Jersey’s Hurricane Sandy Information Center.  Additional information for New York residents is available through the NYC Severe Weather webpage.

Information is also available from FEMA about the disaster process, disaster aid programs, hazard mitigation grant and loan programs and FEMA’s whole community approach to emergency management.

To learn more about FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or to find an insurance agent, visit FloodSmart.govor call 1-888-229-0437. If your home or business has been damaged by flooding, you may be required to meet certain building requirements in your community to reduce future flood damage before you repair or rebuild.  To help you cover the costs of meeting those requirements, the NFIP makes available Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) coverage for all new and renewed standard flood insurance policies.  Additional information about ICC coverage is available in the following brochure:

Increased Cost of Compliance:  How You Can Benefit

On July 6, 2012, a law took effect that made significant reforms to the NFIP.  The fact sheet Changes in the Flood Insurance Program:  Preliminary Considerations for Rebuilding provides additional information on these changes.

Advisory Base Flood Elevations and Guidance for Reconstruction Efforts

Prior to Hurricane Sandy, FEMA was restudying areas of the New Jersey and New York coastlines to update flood hazards shown on NFIP Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) in these areas. These updated maps were set to be delivered to State and local officials in mid-2013. Since existing FIRMs for these areas were developed more than 25 years ago, and because updated FIRMs are yet to be finalized, FEMA believes it vital to provide near-term Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFEs) to support rebuilding efforts.

Visit this website’s Hurricane Sandy ABFE webpage for comprehensive information on the availability of ABFEs, how they can be used, and to view and download data once available. Additional information is also available through the ABFE Toolkit for Property Owners page, the ABFE Toolkit for Community Officials page and the ABFE Frequently Asked Questions page.   

To ask questions and get information about flood insurance and ABFEs, call the National Flood Insurance Program Help Center at 1(800)427-4661 or contact us through this website’s online form.
For more information about how to build safer and stronger and to potentially decrease your flood insurance premiums, download the FEMA Hurricane Sandy Building Science fact sheet. More information on recent changes to the NFIP that should be considered when rebuilding is available in the fact sheet Changes in the Flood Insurance Program:  Preliminary Considerations for Rebuilding.

Buildings located in a Special Flood Hazard Area that are determined to be substantially damaged or improved must be brought into compliance with the minimum requirements of the community’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)-compliant floodplain management laws or ordinances.   Communities participating in the NFIP often have difficulty determining whether buildings are substantially damaged.  This difficulty is magnified after a major flood or other disaster where a large number of buildings have been damaged and there is a need to provide timely substantial damage determinations so that reconstruction can begin.  The Substantial Damage Estimator (SDE) software was developed to assist State and local officials in estimating building value and costs to repair residential and non-residential buildings and is available for download at no cost.  The reference document Substantial Damage Estimator Best Practices is also available online.

Before building, property and business owners should consult their local government officials to determine the local building code, permit, and mandatory elevation requirements for their home or building. 

Disaster Assistance
Available assistance can include rental payments for temporary housing, grants for home repairs, low interest loans for small businesses, and more. Information to learn about the types of assistance available and to apply for assistance can be accessed using the following ways:

     - Apply online at http://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or through a mobile device at m.fema.gov.

     - Call 1-800-621-FEMA or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for hearing and speech impaired.

     - Visit a Disaster Recovery Center in your area.

Additional Resources

• FEMA Blog

• On Facebook - FEMA Sandy

• On Twitter - @FEMASandy

• @FEMA

• @FEMAespanol

• @FEMAregion2 (NJ, NY, PR, VI)

• FEMA’s mobile website - m.fema.gov

• Interactive Maps

• FEMA Geoportal
• Google

Questions or comments?  Call the National Flood Insurance Program Help Center at 1(800) 427-4661 or contact us through our online form today.

www.brunebuilt.com