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THE AVERAGE LENGTH of a <br />Small Business Administration <br />disaster home loan is 18.5 years. <br />For this period, the average monthly <br />loan payment is $140. Depending <br />on the location, a flood insurance <br />policy can be purchased for the <br />equivalent of about $12 a month. <br />recommendations when the opportunity arises. <br />This so-called "mitigation' approach involves sustained action to reduce or elimi- <br />nate long-term risk to people and property from flood hazards. Some of the most <br />successful mitigation measures are <br />• purchasing damaged structures and removing them from the floodplain <br />• building codes that specify flood -resistant construction techniques <br />• land use controls that guide development to safe areas <br />• public awareness campaigns <br />• elevating or floodproofing existing buildings <br />• setting up water retention, stormwater, or diversion measures. <br />"The [19791 buyout was the hardest thing we did in Kampsville <br />but now I see it was the best thing we ever did." — Mayor, <br />Kampsville, Illinois [The city suffered much less damage from the <br />1993 floods than neighboring communities did.] <br />There is a broad range of technical <br />and financial assistance available for <br />undertaking mitigation measures. <br />Some of the grant and cost -sharing <br />programs do require that you have <br />an already -prepared mitigation plan and likely require that the community partici- <br />pates in the National Flood Insurance Program. This is another good reason for <br />thinking about a post -disaster scenario before a drop of rain has fallen. <br />page 24 <br />