Sen. Charles E. Schumer called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to expeditiously release the new Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) maps for homeowners impacted by Hurricane Sandy and waiting to rebuild.
Thousands of homes across New York City were significantly damaged after the storm and many homeowners are in desperate need of updated elevation requirements before they raise homes or rebuild new ones. FEMA has already released the maps for New Jersey, yet New York ABFE’s have not been released.
Schumer is asking for FEMA to release the ABFE maps so that New Yorkers in Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Rockaway, Staten Island, Gerritsen Beach, as well as others, can finally make the necessary repairs to their storm wrecked homes.
“Thousands of homes were destroyed after Sandy and now, to top it off, homeowners are being forced to put their plans of rebuilding on hold because of FEMA’s delay in issuing its advisory base flood elevation maps,” said Schumer. “These maps are crucial because they provide important specifications that homeowners must comply with in order to rebuild in ways that will protect against future storms. FEMA should release the ABFE maps immediately so that homeowners can intelligently repair and rebuild.”
“Southern Queens and Rockaway neighborhoods are still reeling from the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy and they must be given the tools necessary to immediately and properly recover,” added Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. “FEMA has done a commendable job responding in the aftermath of the storm, but without updated flood maps, many communities and homeowners are currently stalled and unable to put their lives back together.”
The ABFE maps provide information to more accurately reflect the true one-percent annual chance flood hazard elevations in a given area. The maps are provided to communities as a resource to support homeowners looking to rebuild in ways that are more resilient to future storms. Communities rely on the maps for FEMA recovery and mitigation activity.
The ABFE maps have already been released for counties in New Jersey, however, New York’s maps have not yet been released. FEMA originally planned to release the maps in late December, however, the agency has not yet provided an updated timeline on its release date.
Schumer explained that these maps are imperative for homeowners in need of repair because it gives them critical information about specifications they will be expected to comply with in and insight into how to repair and rebuild intelligently.
The senator added that it would be unwise to make these homeowners pay for expensive renovations that may not be in line with flood risks.
Renovation and mitigation work should be guided by up to date flood risk data, which will be provided in FEMA’s ABFE.
