Predisaster Mitigation and Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Applications Open Soon Friday February 19, 2016 11:24 am

FEMA has announced the application period for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant programs: March 15 - June 15, 2016. These applications are available to repetitive loss (RL) and severe repetitive loss (SRL) properties. A repetitive loss property is one that has been flooded (as proven by flood claims) 2 or more times with damage adding up to 50% of the value of the structure. A severe repetitive loss property has flood damage over 100% of the value of the structure, or has flooded at least 4 times with at least $5,000 in damages each time. FEMA creates this list, and the Parish develops the application from those eligible.

The Parish recently sent reminders to Severe Repetitive Loss structures reminding them that the program for SRL properties is now 100%, and that they need to get or maintain flood insurance to be eligible to apply.

The Parish was most recently awarded $2.8M for 14 SRL property elevations and $4M for 23 RL elevations. We hope to submit at least as many structures this funding round.

The Repetitive Loss property program requires that the property owners provide 25% of the total project cost as a nonfederal match. It is unknown at this time if there will be funding for low to moderate income applicants to help with that match. If they are substantially damaged, they may be able to access up to $30,000 in insurance benefits (ICC) to help with the cost. 

The Parish accepts Letters of Interest in elevation all year, and will begin processing those applicants and any others responding to the recruitment materials immediately.

Solutient, Inc. is under contract to prepare and submit the application and their staff will be available as of March 15th for property owners to ask questions, explain the program, or accept documents. The phone number is 857-4400.

PDM: The PDM program provides funds on an annual basis for hazard mitigation planning and the implementation of mitigation projects for the purpose of reducing overall risk to the population and structures, while at the same time, also reducing reliance on federal funding from actual disaster declarations. FEMA is making $90 million available for FY 2016 PDM grants.

FMA: The FMA grant program provides funds on an annual basis so that measures can be taken to reduce or eliminate risk of flood damage to buildings insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA is making $199 million available for FY 2016 FMA grants.

States, Tribes and Territories, or Applicants, must submit their PDM and FMA grant applications to FEMA via the Mitigation eGrants system (MT eGrants) on the FEMA Grants Portal on the Internet by 3 pm (ET) on June 15, 2016.  The state will likely require Terrebonne Parish to provide the application May 15, 2016.