Lee County, Cape Coral get 30-day extension to save FEMA flood insurance discount
FEMA granted Lee County and Cape Coral an additional 30-day extension to save their flood insurance discount, but crews are working 12-hour days, seven days a week to get the work done.
"Through our collaboration with FEMA, we have secured an additional 30-day extension for submitting documents reflecting our actions in the special flood hazard area post Hurricane Ian," Mayor John Gunter said at a press conference Monday morning.
Lee County received the same news and announced their extension Friday afternoon.
Gunter said more than 50 city staff members have been reassigned to look at properties, and they are working 12-hour days, seven days a week.
The affected cities now have until June 10 to provide the information and documentation for the nearly 700,000 people needed to qualify and keep their 25% savings on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) premiums.
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FEMA's actions explained
FEMA announced at the end of March that Lee County and municipalities including Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Village of Estero, Town of Fort Myers Beach, and unincorporated Lee County; a total of 699,000 residents, would experience cuts to discounts.
The agency stated that due to a large amount of unpermitted work, lack of documentation, and failure to properly monitor activity in special flood hazard areas, including substantial damage compliance, since Hurricane Ian hit the area on Sept. 28, 2022, several cities would lose their class rating, which would cost residents and businesses millions of dollars.
County and municipal governments have to meet federal guidelines for area homeowners to qualify for policies under the NFIP.
The changes are scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 1 if the affected cities do not meet FEMA's requests.
The NFIP conducts a field visit every three years to audit floodplain management activities and flood-mapping records. Municipality governments then receive a rating from the Class Rating System program.
The Class Rating System is a voluntary federal program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities exceeding the minimum NFIP standards by providing incentive premium discounts.
The discounts are given out in 5% increments using a 1-10 rating system, with Class 10 being low risk and Class 1 being high.
Unincorporated Lee County joined the CRS program in October 1991 and achieved a Class 5 rating in 2007, which has saved them between $14 million to $17 million annually.
"The Lee Board of County Commissioners is committed to retaining the CRS rating of 5 to maintain the discount available to residents with NFIP policies," Lee County Spokesperson Betsy Clayton wrote in a press release.
Cape Coral joined the NFIP in 1981, and there are approximately 27,673 NFIP policyholders in the city with more than $8 billion in coverage. The city joined the CRS program in 1995 and achieved a Class 5 rating in 2010.
The city could lose between $7 million to $8 million in annual discounts if the changes go through.
Cape Coral will still meet the original deadline
Despite the extension, Gunter said the city is still working to meet the original May 9 deadline, which is in fewer than three weeks.
"This demonstrates our compliance with the National Flood Insurance regulations," Gunter said.
He said the recent uptick in collaborations and communication from FEMA has allowed the city to more easily investigate homes to determine whether any violation exists under NFIP regulations.
"This documentation includes permits, substantial damage letters, demolition permits, and enforcement actions," Gunter said. "FEMA is on the ground, so we do have that one-on-one interaction, so if we don't know something or we need something, we have FEMA representatives here in the city."
The city has been distributing red tags at more than 200 addresses throughout the city.
Affected residents need to appear before the Cape Coral Code Compliance Special Magistrate to present their cases.
"Just because you got a red tag, doesn't mean that you are guilty of anything," Gunter said. "We ask (residents) to please come to the hearing, to the Magistrate, and present your case."
The hearings are at 9 a.m. in the Cape Coral Council Chambers at 1015 Cultural Park Boulevard and continue until all cases on the docket have been heard.
He could not update on where the city was in its process but said he was confident in making the deadline.
The mayor said the extra 30-day extension will give the city a buffer if FEMA needs more information.
Luis Zambrano is a Watchdog/Cape Coral reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. You can reach Luis at Lzambrano@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Lz2official.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Lee County, Cape Coral get 30 more days to save flood insurance discount
