Letter to The Honorable R. David Paulison, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response

Letter

Letter to The Honorable R. David Paulison, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response

SCHUMER: DESPITE NO RECORD OF PREVIOUS FLOODING, LOCAL HOMEOWNERS SLAMMED WITH SKY-HIGH, UNNECESSARY INSURANCE FEES BECAUSE OF INEXPLICABLE INCLUSION IN FEMA FLOOD MAPS

In Tough Economic Times, Gates Homeowners Slapped With Mandatory, Onerous Insurance Costs between $400 - $800 per Household

High Insurance Fees Could Hurt Home Values and Make Attracting New Investment in Nearby Properties Difficult

While Standing in Gates Neighborhood, Schumer Calls on FEMA to Immediately Re-Examine Homes Included in Flood Zone

In an effort to save Gates homeowners from costly, mandatory and unnecessary flood insurance fees, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to re-examine the homes inexplicably included in the newly established FEMA flood map. Schumer said that local Gates residents - and possibly others in the Rochester area - are getting slapped with annual fees of $400 to $800 per household, even though there is questionable evidence showing their homes are at risk of flooding.

Schumer, standing at the home of the one of the affected residents, announced his push to remove the homes from the FEMA flood map that were inaccurately included in a new flood zone map. In support of the community's appeal to FEMA, Schumer wrote a personal letter to FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison, calling on the agency to reevaluate the homes to determine which could be removed.

"Gates homeowners are getting slapped with mandatory, onerous flood insurance fees that in many cases could be completely unnecessary - and it couldn't have come at a worse time. As we all work through these tough economic times, the last thing homeowners need is a surprise $800 fee," Schumer said. "It's up to FEMA to work closely with the community to reexamine the homes included in the flood map and immediately fix the inaccuracies, and I will fight to make sure this happens."

Despite no record of previous flooding, many homes in the Gates community - and possibly more across Monroe County - have been shoehorned into a mandatory Standard Flood Insurance Policy (SFIP) which stipulates the amount of insurance they should pay based on the potential threat of a flood. Additionally, many homeowners were recently notified that they have until just mid-December to make the onerous insurance payment to their mortgage bank. FEMA has also indicated they expect other Monroe County residents to be slapped with the new fee shortly.

In addition to slamming homeowners with high fees, the current sky-high insurance fees could deter a homeowner's ability in Gates to sell their homes at market rate and for the community to attract new investment in nearby properties.

Schumer said today that the town of Gates has already identified many homes that were inaccurately included in the new Flood Insurance Rate Map, which dictates the SFIP, and homeowners are being forced to foot the bill despite the inaccuracies. Schumer said that, in addition to other inaccuracies, FEMA has not taken into account drainage relief in the Gates neighborhood.

The town has begun talks with FEMA regional officials and is planning to submit a request for a Letter of Map Revision (LOMAR) that would reexamine the homes included in the flood map. Community leaders are also working with engineers and land surveyors to provide FEMA with the detailed information necessary to issue a LOMAR.

In an effort to help the town and local homeowners, Schumer stressed to FEMA today his support for the town's request and pledged to continue working to ensure that the maps are a precise representation of the topography and flood threat so that no homeowner across the region will face a costly flood insurance fee due to inaccuracy.

Schumer wrote in his letter to FEMA, "With the holiday season upon us, and families straining to make ends meet in a difficult economy, it is important that homeowners don't face the burden of unnecessary flood insurance payments. As FEMA Region II officials proceed in talks with Town of Gates officials, I respectfully request your consideration of the Town's requested revision, which would exempt several properties from the flood zones."

Schumer also noted his and other local Western New York officials success in pushing FEMA to remove 2,400 South Buffalo and Kaisertown homeowners from its outdated 100-year flood map that forced the residents to pay unnecessary and excessive insurance fees. The Flood Insurance Study (FIS) was sticking residents in Kaisertown and South Buffalo with unnecessary insurance fees despite the city's recent infrastructure investments that dramatically reduced the likelihood of flooding and related property damage in the neighborhoods. The Flood Insurance Rate Map for the City of Buffalo failed to acknowledge the local flood remediation efforts or the best technology available for measuring, forcing residents to pay hundreds of dollars in annual insurance costs.

The new flood maps throughout Monroe County were created as a result of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Map Modernization Initiative. Through this $1 billion project, FEMA is updating local flood maps throughout the nation using digital technology. Some local flood maps have not been updated in decades.

See below for a full copy of the letter:

December 3, 2008

The Honorable R. David Paulison
Under Secretary of Homeland Security
for Emergency Preparedness and Response
Department of Homeland Security
500 C Street SW
Washington, DC 20472

Dear Under Secretary Paulison:

I write today in strong support of the Town of Gates' (Monroe County, NY) recent request for a revision of the August 2008 Flood Maps covered by Panel #0188G. The flood zone on that map was expanded, forcing dozens of homeowners who hold mortgages to purchase costly flood insurance, with policies estimated in the range of $400-$800. Town officials have identified several properties in the Courtright Lane, Riviera Drive, Horatio Lane, Trabold Road area that may have been inaccurately added to the flood zone, leaving families to foot the bill.

In an effort to guarantee that flood insurance requirements have not been assigned erroneously, community leaders are currently working with engineers and land surveyors to provide FEMA with the detailed information necessary to issue a Letter of Map Revision (LOMAR). In addition, FEMA representatives have been in contact with the town, and I ask that FEMA continue to work closely with community officials to address the status of these properties recently added to the flood zone. Town of Gates officials have data to support their request for this revision. Specifically, the town firmly believes that drainage systems and actual elevations put this neighborhood out of reach of flooding conditions.

With the holiday season upon us, and families straining to make ends meet in a difficult economy, it is important that homeowners don't face the burden of unnecessary flood insurance payments. As FEMA Region II officials proceed in talks with Town of Gates officials, I respectfully request your consideration of the Town's requested revision, which would exempt several properties from the flood zones. Thank you for your time and consideration of this important matter.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

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