[StBernard] Rainwater said owners who can fix their structurally sound but

[Westley Annis]

>From Karen Turni's article:


"Rainwater said owners who can fix their structurally sound but

hurricane-damaged homes for less than 50 percent of the pre-Katrina

value won't be forced to raise their homes. "



Just a note of caution to repeat what I posted many months ago.

I have been in two meetings with FEMA reps. One was for all 

parish officials, dept. heads, CRC people, planning commissioners

when the Base Flood Elevation, 3 ft. rule, first came out.

After Hunnicutt said he was going to be really lenient with 

residents about percent damaged, the FEMA rep said (and I am 

paraphrasing from memory) that FEMA would be checking up to ensure 

that the FEMA rules were followed.  In another meeting, a different

FEMA person said to the planning commission that the FEMA rule for

percent damage has nothing to do with structural damage to the house.

They know the average price per sq. ft. of homes in various neighborhoods.

They know whether the water in a neighborhood was 4 feet up the walls

or to the ceiling or to the second floor/attic. They also will determine

the average repair costs per sq. foot for each level of flooding.

They take their estimate of the repair cost and divide it by

the value of the house (not including the lot). If that is 50 percent

or more, then the house is 50% or more damaged and would have to follow the

new flood elevations if repairs started after the parish adopted them for

your neighborhood. The FEMA rep said it didn't matter if all the materials

were donated and the homeowner did all the repair work themselves, their

calculation of percent damage is based on their estimate of average

repair costs. The consequence is being kicked out the flood insurance
program

if audited and found to have started after the new base flood elevations 

apply and you were 50% or more damaged.



Example: A $140,000 pre Katrina valued house and lot is given a house-only

value of $120,000 for its 1,800 sq. ft., which is $67 per sq. ft.

The repair started after the parish adopted the new 3 foot elevation rule. 

FEMA determines that the one story house was flooded into the attic. 

FEMA estimates the repair costs to be valued at $60 per sq. ft. based on

it being gutted to slab and studs and current construction costs. 

$60/$67 calculates in FEMA terms to a 90 % damaged house.

FEMA then notifies the homeowner that they are ineligble

for flood insurance.  Nothing else matters to FEMA. 



People in Galveston cannot even substantially renovate a house, even if

it was never flooded,without being careful that each major renovation (like
adding

on to the house) doesn't exceed 50% of the value of the house, because

if it does, then they have to raise it to the new base flood elevation.



IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IF YOU HAVEN'T STARTED REPAIRS YET TO KNOW WHEN THE 

PARISH WILL OFFICIALLY ADOPT THE NEW BASE FLOOD ELEVATIONS AND BE ON RECORD

THAT YOU FILED FOR ELECTRICAL OR PLUMBING PERMITS. 



ddk