Attention: FEMA Risk Rating 2.0 (Flood Insurance Premiums)

On April 1st, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) released the first official communication on the redesign of the National Flood Insurance Program (“NFIP”)’s rating system.

The new pricing methodology, known as Risk Rating 2.0, utilizes the latest technology available to assess the flood risk of a property. Phase 1 of the new program begins on October 1, 2021.

In its announcement, FEMA shared a state-by-state breakdown of Risk Rating 2.0’s impact on flood insurance premiums. According to FEMA, Texas will see the following impact:

  • 14% of Texas residents with an existing flood insurance policy will see an immediate decrease in their flood insurance premium;
  • 79% of Texas residents with an existing flood insurance policy will see an immediate increase in their flood insurance premium that could range from $0 to $10 per month;
  • 3% of Texas residents with an existing flood insurance policy will see an immediate increase in their flood insurance premium of $10 to $20 per month; and
  • 4% of Texas residents with an existing flood insurance policy will see an immediate increase in their flood insurance premium greater than $20 per month.

We do not yet know how Risk Rating 2.0 will impact flood insurance prices in First Colony LID No. 2. However, if you already have flood insurance, you are grandfathered into how fast your flood insurance premium can increase. It is federally mandated that a flood insurance premium cannot increase by more than 18% per year. Therefore, we encourage you to get flood insurance. You can do so by contacting your home insurance provider. Since a flood insurance policy takes 30 days to go into effect, you must purchase your policy by September 1, 2021, for your policy to become effective prior to the effective date of Risk Rating 2.0 (October 1, 2021).

Additional information regarding risk rating 2.0 can be found at the following link: Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action | FEMA.gov

South Levee Raising

On January 11, FBCLID 2 started Phase 1 of a construction project to increase the height of their South Levee. The FBCLID 2 South Levee is also the northern boundary of Commonwealth and First Colony Levee Improvement District No. 2.

Phase 1 of the South Levee Raising project will end before reaching the homes on Greenlaw Street. The current construction plans stop just short of that area where the levee is close to backyard fences. Dump trucks will still exit through this area to Knightsbridge Blvd., but the contractor will not be actively raising the levee behind the homes on Greenlaw Street as part of the Phase I project. The contractor has already started construction behind the homes on Kirkwall Drive, but these properties are much further from the levee.

Phase II of the South Levee Raising project will be bid as a separate contract later this year. FBCLID 2 will complete South Levee raising behind the homes on Greenlaw Street and continue through Knightsbridge Blvd., Regents Park, and end at Commonwealth Blvd. FBCLID 2 does not have plans to raise these road crossings over the levee.

For more updates, please visit the FBCLID 2 homepage: www.fbclid2.com