Posted on 01/26/2010 3:29:41 PM PST by Lorianne
New FEMA flood plain maps are full of mistakes that could prove costly ___ More than a year and a half after a massive flood left a huge swath of eastern Iowa underwater, the tiny farming community of Oakville is clinging to survival.
Many of the town's 400-or-so residents moved on after the June 2008 disaster, leaving local leaders desperate to lure new faces to the community. But they say their efforts are being harmed by an ambitious government initiative to update and digitize the nation's flood plain maps.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency started the $200 million-per-year project in 2004 as a way to utilize advances in mapping technology to better identify areas susceptible to flooding. FEMA officials say the new maps — some of which have won final approval and others which are still in their preliminary stages — will allow for better zoning and help prevent future catastrophes like the flood in Iowa, which caused an estimated $10 billion of damage.
But critics, including civic leaders, developers and home owners in several states, have complained that the new maps are riddled with inaccuracies, seem arbitrarily drawn, and will stifle growth and hurt property values.
"Anyone building new construction, they are probably not going to settle here," said Oakville Mayor Benita Grooms, who is critical of FEMA's proposed map for her town. "Why would they if they have to build their homes up so high and pay $2,000 for flood insurance?"
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Related: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978015313
“Unintended consequence or part of their plan to further destroy the U.S.A. ? Last month the federal government arm called FEMA issued new maps of flood plains. Hundreds of millions of Homes containing hard working Americans are now being forced to purchase flood insurance. Flood insurance is much more expensive than normal Home Owners Insurance Policies that are required on all mortgaged homes. FEMA knows that most of these homes that are being newly required to purchase their flood insurance will never file a claim as they will never flood.”
FEMA - The White Ops, Black Ops People.
5 years to put a color on existing maps?
Hundreds of millions of homes? Hyperbole much? The census count of number of households at 117 million in 2006.
I have NEVER seen a FEMA person "in the field"...when a complaint was made.
Why??? Because they think correcting an error is someone else's job.
Flood insurance in my experience is NOT more expensive than homeowners insurance. I lived in an “A” zone ( high probability ) and the flood insurance was about 275$ a year. My homeowners was 1300$. This is in Florida along the coast.
There is even more - new inspections and new rules on levees for improvements that most local governments cannot afford will disqualify areas for flood insurance.
It was after Katrina. 2007 I moved out of that area and further east. On a 12 year old, 1600 sq ft home it was 275 a year. Wares Creek area of Bradenton, Fl.
Thanks - your numbers are about what I expected.
That site always mentions myFloodZone.com where homeowners can get flood zone determinations and lots of reference.
http://www.myfloodzone.com/Flood-Insurance-101.htm
http://www.myfloodzone.com/Flood-Zones-101.htm
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.