Agency looks for solutions to flooding costs

Sept. 07--MILTON -- Seventy-three percent of the 110 Milton residents who responded to a survey on flooding said they were most concerned about the increasing cost of flood insurance, said Teri Provost of SEDA-Council of Governments, which sent out the survey.

Insurance is a concern in other river communities, as well, and SEDA-COG is holding meetings in six local riverside municipalities to find out residents' concerns and how property owners can better protect their properties, said Provost and Bill Seigel, SEDA-COG assistant executive director.

The pair met with nearly 20 Milton residents on Wednesday evening in the borough council chambers to explain why premiums are rising under the subsidized National Flood Insurance Program and to enlist residents for discussion groups, as they have in Selinsgrove, Danville, Bloomsburg, Lewisburg and Newport.

Seigel explained that because the 50-year-old NFIP is $24 billion in debt, Congress enacted legislation in 2012 to gradually increase the premiums 15 to 20 percent a year and reduce subsidies until they go away.

But as those rates increase, homeowners won't do as much maintenance on their properties and soon won't be able to afford to live there, Seigel said. Then it is difficult to sell the properties because the new owner, if there is a mortgage through a bank, will have to pay a higher flood insurance rate.

"Eventually, homes are abandoned," Seigel said.

He said that leads to a lower tax base and the deterioration of river communities.

"We've seen people appeal their assessments with the county -- another hit on the tax base," he said.

Provost said property owners could opt for private insurance, but she didn't know how that would affect individual property owners.

Milton Borough Code Enforcement and Zoning Officer Doug Diehl cautioned, though, that if a property owner's private insurer dropped the policy, the homeowner would have to go back on the NFIP at the full rate.

Provost said a woman in Newport was paying $5,000 a year through the NFIP, but found a private insurance policy for $900.

Seigel and Provost said homeowners should have a survey done of their property to obtain an elevation certificate, which determines true flood risk and can reduce flood insurance costs.

Diehl said someone from the Federal Emergency Management Agency told him anyone who has a flood elevation certificate can lock it in with their insurance for when FEMA alters flood plain maps.

Provost said residents also can get a 15 percent premium discount through the borough's Community Rating System.

Seigel said SEDA-COG can help property owners with flood mitigation work for individual properties to reduce flood damage. Provost said there could be tax credits for private mitigation work.

"We're hoping we could get people to mitigate rather than pay premium increases for flood insurance," she said.Provost said SEDA-COG is asking residents to join working groups in each of the municipalities to meet and discuss ways to reduce risk and lower flood insurance rates. Residents were asked to sign up and indicate when they would be willing to meet.

The process will lead SEDA-COG to explore legislation with local, state and federal officials to reform flood insurance.

Email comments to jsylvester@dailyitem.com. Follow Sylvester on Twitter @JoepSylvester.

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