FEMA Flood Maps and Insurance Premiums

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Dear CCTA Members and Friends,


I know we've all been working hard (and will continue to work hard next week) to try to stop the Immigration (Amnesty) Bill, and that's hugely important.


However, those of us who are homeownefrs in eastern North Carolina are about to be harmed by something FEMA has trumped up, and it's happening fast.


I emailed the Letter to the Editor printed below to the Sun Journal a few minutes ago. I am also mailing letters to Walter Jones, Richard Burr, and Kay Hagan asking for their help with this problem. I plan to follow up with phone calls to them next week. (I'll also make calls re "close the borders/no amnesty talk until it's done.")

If you can fit it in, please ask Jones, Burr, and Hagan for their help with this FEMA problem, too.

The Immigration (Amnesty) Bill will ruin our country.  FEMA's dastardly deeds will empty out our checkbooks. Both are awful !!!


We need to work hard. We've gotten into dangerous territory and need to work our way out.


Sincerely,
Raynor


To the Editor:


If something is not done quickly, homeowners in Craven County and all of eastern North Carolina will be hit hard by much higher flood insurance premiums, and a huge number of houses will be newly considered to be in a flood plane.

How can this be? Has the sea level risen significantly?


No it has not, but FEMA is basing its new flood plane maps on the assumption that the level of the sea has risen, or will rise, by 39 inches! Some scientists agree that the level of the sea is rising and could rise by that much in the foreseeable future. Many other scientists say this is poppycock.


Okay, let's just say it's a theory. It may be true, or it may not, but I can't see the water rising from my home, can you? Why doesn't everyone just stay calm and figure this out over time? That makes sense, doesn't it?


Well, that's not what's happening. FEMA is asking North Carolina counties (it'll be Craven County's turn soon) to sign off on the new flood maps for their area. If the county does not approve it, there will be no FEMA money for the county in the event of a hurricane or other flood event. As you can imagine, county commissioners feel caught between a rock and a hard place. Unless they agree, there'll be no FEMA money, but if they agree, flood insurance premiums for homeowners in these newly declared " flood prone areas" will go up - way up. Most (virtually all) lenders require flood insurance in order to get a mortgage, or for an existing mortgage to stay in good standing, in these areas.


As a result, many homeowners will not be able to afford the insurance, and will be in danger of having their mortgage in default. If they try to sell their homes, potential buyers are apt to take one look at the situation and run for the hills (literally). Pending sales have already fallen through in beach areas for this reason.


Can anything be done?


Obviously the U.S. Congress could override FEMA via legislation. Our member of the U.S. House of Representatives and our two North Carolina senators could come to our aid in this regard. There are committees in each body that could be asked to help craft a way to stop implementation until the facts can be sorted out. There's the House Natural Resources Committee, and in the Senate, there are the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Do you think it would be a good idea to ask our Representative and our Senators to get cracking on this? I surely do. Unless they do, a large number of us are going to find ourselves in very dire straights, and it will happen quickly. Please, join me in trying to prevent it.


Very truly yours,
Raynor James
New Bern, NC