06-23-08 Drainage and Flooding Committee Minutes

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Repetitive Flood Loss Area Analysis Brookglen Neighborhood La Porte, TX Flooding is a problem far too familiar to many neighborhoods across the United States. Enduring the consequences of flooding over and over again can be quite frustrating. When the water rises, life is disrupted, belongings are ruined, and hard-earned money is spent. This report has been created in collaboration with City of La Porte and Harris County officials, and the owners of homes in a repetitively flooded area who have continually suffered the personal losses and stresses associated with living in a flood-prone house. The goal is to help homeowners reduce their flood risk by providing a broader understanding of the flooding problems in their neighborhood, and the potential solutions to the continual suffering that results from repetitive flooding. The availability of possible funding sources for certain mitigation options is also discussed. Here, flooding issues and potential mitigation measures are discussed for homes located in the Brookglen neighborhood of La Porte, TX. Not all mitigation measures are appropriate for all homes; however, the homes in this study are quite homogeneous and are also representative of other homes throughout the region. It is understood that there are many stresses associated with repetitive flooding including worry about how high the water may rise, the loss of personal belongings, the possibility of mold, and whether or not neighbors will return after the next event. Adding to this worry is the uncertainty related to the potential solutions. Should I elevate and if so, how high? Should I pursue a buyout offer from the County? How much will a mitigation project cost? What will my neighborhood look like if I am the only one to mitigate, or the only one not to mitigate? Is there a solution that might work for the entire neighborhood? These questions are common, and this report attempts to answer them according to the specific situation faced by homeowners in the Brookglen neighborhood. Informed homeowners can become even stronger advocates for policy change at the neighborhood, city, county, state and even federal levels. Overall, it is hoped that by gaining a better understanding of the flooding issues, neighborhoods can become safer and homeowners better able to confront the hazard of flooding. Background The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is continually faced with the task of paying claims while trying to keep the price of flood insurance at an affordable level. It has a particular problem with repetitive flood loss properties, which are estimated to cost $200 million per year in flood insurance claim payments. Repetitive flood loss properties represent only 1 percent of all flood insurance policies, yet historically they have accounted for nearly one-third of the claim payments (over $4.5 billion to date). Mitigation of these repetitive flood loss properties will reduce the overall costs to the NFIP as well as to the communities in which they are located and Brookglen Area Analysis - DRAFT 1 9/8/2008