NEW ORLEANS — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently approved Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding to elevate 30 homes in Jefferson Parish. Alternative mitigation actions were considered, but elevation was determined to be the most cost effective and beneficial action. 

“Raising the structures to Base Flood Elevation will significantly reduce the potential for these structures to sustain flood damage, especially repetitive flood damage in the future,” said Jim Stark, FEMA’s director of the Transitional Recovery Office. “We are proud to have worked closely with the Hazard Mitigation staff at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to award Jefferson Parish this funding for their elevation projects.”

The $4.2 million in funding will go toward raising 30 homes that are on the severe repetitive loss list and received money from multiple National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood insurance claims. Once these structures are rebuilt with a higher first floor, floodwaters will flow under rather than through them.

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 (GOHSEP), to draw down the funds as quickly as possible. The state may require additional information from the subgrantee before disbursing the funds.

“GOHSEP is pleased that Jefferson Parish’s diligent efforts over the past months have resulted in the awarding of this major Hazard Mitigation grant for a much needed elevation project,” said Casey Levy, State Hazard Mitigation officer. “The GOHSEP staff and the parish staff have worked tirelessly to assist the citizens of Louisiana, and it’s gratifying to see HMGP funds begin to flow to aid in our state’s recovery."

For a property to be designated as severe repetitive loss, it must be insured under NFIP and have incurred flood losses that resulted in either two or more flood insurance claims payments that together exceeded the value of the property or four or more flood insurance claims payments that each exceeded $5,000. At least two of those payments must have occurred in a 10-year period, with the total claims paid exceeding $20,000.

The Jefferson Parish municipalities covered in this application ranked No.1 for flood risk, No. 2 for storm surge and No.2 for levee failure in the context of relative risk as summarized by the state of Louisiana’s hazard mitigation plan.

“I appreciate the cooperation of both the state GOHSEP and FEMA Transitional Recovery Office in making these grants a reality,” said Tommy Rodrigue, Flood Zone Manager for Jefferson Parish.

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.