NOLA City Announces FEMA Home Elevation Awards in Ongoing Efforts to Reduce Risk

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE� Monday, June 28, 2021 Contact:�LaTonya Norton For Media Inquiries Only communications@nola.gov (504) 658-4962

City Announces FEMA Home Elevation Awards in Ongoing Efforts to Reduce Risk NEW ORLEANS ��Today, the Hazard Mitigation Office, housed in the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, announced two Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) awards totaling $11.6 million, which will be used to elevate 49 pre-identified homes in New Orleans that have experienced repeated and severe flooding. � �Here in New Orleans, we�re seeing the direct impacts of climate change with major rain events happening more frequently and this past spring being one of the wettest in our city's recorded history,� said�Mayor LaToya Cantrell. �That�s why my administration has been so focused on mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. With these federal funds and support from FEMA, we will elevate the homes of 49 families who have suffered from flood loss in the past.� � The City�s Hazard Mitigation Office applied for the FMA funds on behalf of Orleans Parish homeowners whose structures have experienced severe and repetitive loss from flood damage. These properties will join the more than 200 structures that have received elevation funding since 2017 through the City�s effort to reduce the risk of property damage from future flood events. The 49 homes are located across the city, including in Broadmoor, Gentilly, Lakeview, Mid City, New Orleans East, the Ninth Ward, the Seventh Ward, Uptown, Venetian Isles, and the West Bank. The grant application was submitted by the Governor�s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and awarded by FEMA. � New Orleans Hazard Mitigation Administrator, Austin Feldbaum said, �FEMA�s grant programs play a critical role in financing projects that reduce the impacts of natural disasters in New Orleans, protecting both people and property. I am grateful for the support of our state and federal partners to mitigate many of our most flood-prone structures and to make flood insurance more affordable for our residents.� � FEMA Region 6 Hazard Mitigation Supervisory Grants Management Specialist, Shontae Davis said, �FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance grants help communities like New Orleans become more sustainable and disaster-resistant. FEMA continues to support our state and local partners to reduce risk in cities and parishes across Louisiana.� � New Orleans residents are encouraged to understand their flood risk, get flood insurance, and learn how to protect property from flood damage by visiting ready.nola.gov/rain. As a reminder, new flood maps were adopted in 2016, making flood insurance more affordable for many New Orleanians. Property owners may be eligible for a lower rate and are strongly encouraged to review their flood insurance policies, especially if they have not been updated since before the new map approval. � Flood insurance is essential in New Orleans, where property owners have received 7 times more on average from insurance payouts than from post-disaster assistance programs. A new flood insurance policy takes 30 days to take effect, so property owners should call their insurance agent as soon as possible to be insured for this year�s hurricane season. � Individuals who are interested in learning more about flood mitigation grants should contact the Hazard Mitigation Office at 504-658-8740 or hazardmitigation@nola.gov. �