Image from FEMA
Thousands of residents across New York and the country are finding the new FEMA maps that indicate flood zones to be incorrect.
So What’s the Big Deal?
If your house is deemed to be in a flood-zone, you’ll be required by law to purchase flood insurance, which can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars a year. This is big complaint amongst those who are already struggling to pay their mortgage.
The flood maps are also affecting cities that are trying to attract more growth and residents. If a city is in a flood plain, a person looking to buy a home is most likely going to look at homes where it’s not required to purchase flood insurance.
Other Flood Map Problems
What is really causing the blood pressure of many people to rise is an incorrect map of their area. All over the U.S. city officials are finding errors on maps. For example, a stream clearly seen in an aerial photo or map is located in a totally different spot on the FEMA map. Other FEMA maps include landmarks and items such as drainage ditches that no longer exist. Essentially, old maps that are now out-dated were converted into a digital format to represent present-day areas.
The process to appeal the findings on a FEMA flood map can cost cities thousands of dollars in surveying costs to prove they aren’t in a flood zone. The process to get a map changed can take well over a year.
Read more about FEMA flood map concerns.
Flood insurance is always something home and business owners should consider, whether they’re in a flood zone or not. One never knows when a pipe will burst and cause damage that “regular” insurance won’t cover.
