Borough of Longport Issues Public Comment on FEMA Notice

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 -- B.Funk, CRS Administrator at Borough of Longport, New Jersey, has issued a public comment on the Federal Emergency Management Agency notice entitled "Request for Information on the National Flood Insurance Program's Floodplain Management Standards for Land Management and Use, and an Assessment of the Program's Impact on Threatened and Endangered Species and Their Habitats". The comment was posted on Nov. 3, 2021:

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I am the CRS Administrator for a small barrier island community in Longport New Jersey.

WE are a Class 5 Community that will probably be a Class 3 Community at our next CAV visit.

1. First Issue -

Our Residents currently receive 25% off their flood insurance premiums. Our CRS Program probably saves our residents some $ 250,000.+ per year.

The problem - Typical of most Municipal CRS Budgets, they give the Administrator a minimal stipend, never enough to come close to the amount of time we put into the program. But more importantly, it is very difficult to carry out the outreach projects that we would like to do.

Can the NFIP consider either allocating a portion of the percentage that we save our residents and ear-mark that % for CRS and/or add an additional surcharge to NFIP Policies and ear-mark those for for CRS?

2. Second Issue -

Our Community has done a fantastic job with higher regulatory standards. Every since 2008 our homes have been constructed to higher elevations. Our lots are small, space is a premium. The majority of our new homes are elevated high enough to allow for parking, storage and access under them.

We do understand & enforce the requirements for areas below the first floor. We require Non-Conversion Agreements etc. Most of these homes have swimming pools, patios, right of the so-called storage areas. It is almost impossible to control the types of furniture they put in there, game room, pool table room, etc. These areas as well as the garages are all conditioned to maintain humidity levels in order to prevent mold & mildew. To say the least it has become en enforcement nightmare!

The NFIP - should simply state - that only structural aspects of your home located below the DFE is covered by the NFIP and that any/all contents below the DFE is excluded!

Tks/B.Funk

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The notice can be viewed at: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FEMA-2021-0024-0001

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