Flood Planning Will Save Residents Money

BERKELEY – In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, residents trying to piece their lives back together had to figure out if their damaged homes were worth saving. And if they weren’t – what kind of rules did FEMA set for rebuilding?

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, “If the cost to repair is 50% or more of the market value, the structure is considered Substantially Damaged and must be brought into compliance with current local floodplain management standards.”

While the term “substantially damaged” might bring up specific images in your own mind, FEMA has different thoughts on it. Recently, officials brought the township codes into alignment with FEMA in order to have a Substantial Damage Management Plan in place in case the worst case scenario happens again.

Jamison Zimmerman, the community flood plain manager for the town from Remington & Vernick Engineers, said this plan follows FEMA guidelines on what a substantially damaged home is, and how to estimate it.

If there’s another disaster like Sandy, this would help assess homes so that residents could recover more efficiently.

There are more than 1,700 homes in a flood zone in Berkeley, she said. This document now identifies the specific areas. If there’s a storm with the possibility of severe damage, the construction department and code enforcement will have a map of where to respond.

No insurance companies handle flood insurance because it’s too costly. So, the federal government took it on. The National Flood Insurance Program covers everything in flood zones.

In order to incentivize towns to make changes that will protect residents from flooding and help them recuperate faster, there is a Community Rating System. The more changes towns make, the more points they get. The more points they get, the larger the discount residents receive on their flood insurance.

Berkeley residents currently receive a 20% discount on rates, Zimmerman said. Incorporating these new rules should earn them 150 points as they aim for a 25% discount.

In other news, Mayor John Bacchione said he was on a conference call with other mayors hearing from the U.S. Department of Treasury about $350 billion available in American Rescue Plan funding and how to apply for it.