[StBernard] FEMA flood insurance rate puts Louisiana officials on edge

[Westley Annis]

FEMA flood insurance rate puts Louisiana officials on edge
Posted: Sep 19, 2013 10:39 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 20, 2013 7:36 AM CDT
By Nick Foley - email

LIVINGSTON PARISH, LA (WAFB) -
As of now, a new law will take effect in 2014 increasing national flood
insurance rates. Politicians in Louisiana on both the local and state level
are standing united against it, as the law could cripple thousands in the
Bayou State.

Thomas Adams cringes any time the skies open up and the rains begin to fall.

"I don't know if my property is going to flood again, any time," said Adams.

Adams and his wife have seen their home in Walker flood three times in the
last four years.

The last flood came in January after days of heavy rain. The frustration of
rebuilding and a flood insurance premium that is 25 percent of his house
note has convinced Adams to apply for a FEMA property acquisition.

"It causes too many headaches and problems for us to deal with over and over
again constantly," added Adams.

Adams is not alone. The possibility of high flood insurance rates jumping
another 20 to 25 percent a year has other Livingston Parish residents
eligible for a home lift funded by the federal government, thinking twice.

"Some of them said that's why they wouldn't fool with it because they
couldn't afford the insurance once they're elevated they must have the
insurance so they just backed out it and didn't want to do it," said Mark
Harrell, Livingston Parish Emergency Preparedness Director.

According to Harrell about 75 percent of homeowners in Livingston Parish
live in flood zones requiring insurance. Similar numbers exist in many other
parishes in the state as well, leaving leaders questioning the need to raise
premiums so quickly.

"How much sense does it make for the federal government to reinvest in these
communities with all these billions and billions of dollars in structures
and community centers and schools and then driving everyone out with these
insurance rates that are so high on the flood side," said State
Representative Chris Leopold.

Leopold authored a resolution that passed in June uniting the Louisiana
Legislature against the Biggert-Waters Act set to take effect in January.
Leopold says the rate changes will be catastrophic for the state.

"You'll have people that will turn their keys into their homes, there's no
question about it. It affects the banking industry, the real estate
industry," said Leopold. "It affects everyone it will be worse than the
storm."

In the meantime Adams says he will keep doing the only thing he knows how.

"You got to keep going forward and do the best you can do and try to get
yourself another property or do whatever you can do," said Adams.

A bill authored by US Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-LA, to delay the plan has already
passed through the House. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-LA, authored a homeland
security appropriations bill, which has passed the Senate Appropriations
Committee and is heading to the Senate floor.

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