St. Tammany, Beauregard Parishes Receive Funding to Elevate Properties

September 11, 2007 -- NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently designated funding for six elevation projects in St. Tammany and Beauregard Parishes. Funding has been set aside to raise the dwellings to or above the base flood elevation level adopted by the local community, eliminating damage to structures due to a 100-year storm event.

Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding provides mitigation alternatives to reduce or eliminate long-term risks of flood damage for properties affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Alternative mitigation actions were considered and elevation of the properties was found to be the most cost effective and beneficial mitigation action. These projects will take approximately two years to complete.

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Funding totaling $244,679 has been obligated to elevate two residential properties in St. Tammany Parish. The lowest living floor of these structures will be elevated to at least one foot above the advisory base flood elevation to reduce or eliminate flood damage to the properties from a 100-year flood event. The homeowners have agreed to maintain proper levels of insurance for the life of their property and take responsibility for all maintenance of the structure and property after project completion.

Additional funding of $39,000 has been obligated to elevate another residential repetitive loss structure in St. Tammany Parish. The structure will be elevated above the advisory base flood elevation to reduce damage from flooding caused by surge from Lake Pontchartrain during a hurricane, tropical storm or other high rain event. For added support, the structure will be jacked and tied into a foundation system and piers.

"FEMA works closely with the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and local governments on strategies to determine the most appropriate mitigation measures to reduce risk of future flood damages," said Jim Stark, FEMA's director of the Louisiana Transitional Recovery Office. "Elevating these structures will bring cost savings to the National Flood Insurance Program through reduced flood insurance claims and elimination of long term risks for properties."

Three repetitive loss structures in Beauregard Parish also will be elevated with $137,856 in funding. These mitigation measures will effectively minimize future flood damages and reduce health and safety risks to homeowners and potential rescuers.

When projects are obligated by FEMA through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the funds are transferred to a Smartlink account. This allows the grantee, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, to draw down the funds as quickly as possible. The state may require additional information from the subgrantee before disbursing the funds.

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration, to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Source: FEMA