Communities have more success in taking care of their flood risk and their floodplain areas when the programs and efforts related to that are supported by local elected officials. CRS communities have found that the combination of insurance premium discounts, participation in a forward-looking nationwide program, and visibly reduced damage often receive high praise from elected officials.
The Community Rating System is good for Pierce County citizens and good for the environment. That’s kind of obvious. Where it really helps us in Pierce County government is that it encourages and guides us to make wise long term investments in improving our community.
There are 668 NFIP policies in force. Because of the community’s participation in the Community Rating System, policy holders realize a 30% reduction in flood insurance premiums. Since Pompton Lakes joined the CRS, this has meant a savings of around $300,000 for NFIP policy holders. And an added bonus is that that $300,000 will most likely be spent right here in the community, with the net result of boosting its economy.
I’m happy to say sitting here today, that we are not a 5% percent, not a 10 %, not even a 15, we are a 25% flood insurance discount community and we are very, very proud of that fact. We don't let too many days go by where we don’t tout that to our neighbors and to our citizens that we are a 25% discount community under the CRS.
When communities make progress in effective floodplain management, FEMA's Community Rating System rewards those communities with lower flood insurance rates. The significantly lower flood insurance rates we enjoy now under the CRS reflect the strides Pasadena has made in the past few years to reduce flood damage to property, enhance resident safety, and protect our vital watershed area. . . . These tools have been instrumental in giving Pasadena residents a safer community, more affordable flood insurance, and a better quality of life.
The CRS has been an incredible benefit to our community. Along with saving the citizens many thousands of dollars in discounted flood insurance payments, it’s the intangibles that can be truly important to a community. Through public relations and communication our citizens have been able to be prepared physically and emotionally for flooding and millions of dollars have been saved over the years through flood awareness, preparedness, and mitigation.
Grand Prairie's participation in the CRS program has proven to be a valuable tool in preserving property--both private and public--by reducing the occurrence of flood damage. It has significantly reduced the cost of privately purchased flood insurance and reduced the number of flood insurance claims for home and business owners.
The savings to taxpayers not only in premium savings but also in real dollar savings to taxpayers by avoiding the constant cycle of claim filing is a huge benefit to communities. . . . Some communities may be reluctant to join the CRS as they may see this as another control being placed by on them by the federal government, however, the Community Rating Service is strictly voluntary.
As a city, it is important that we do everything we can to help protect our citizens who live in our floodplains. The CRS not only helps us accomplish that, but also provides much needed financial relief to our homeowners who rely on flood insurance to protect their most valuable investment.
The Community Rating System saves homeowners money. It is a small investment by the city that yields significant yearly savings for homeowners in insurance costs. In addition, it has given the city critical information about flooding and has helped elected officials and residents to understand what issues could arise in the floodplain.
The District I represent has many water resources that my constituents enjoy and use. It also contains many floodplain areas. People love this part of the county and I, as their County Board representative, want to make sure they enjoy them safely. The Community Rating System has been an important part of that safeguard. Whether it’s the higher standards of building protection when developing in the floodplain or the discounts my constituents receive as part of CRS Class 6 in unincorporated Lake County, the program has proven instrumental to protection of both property and human life.
Thanks to our participation in the Community Rating System, the City of Boulder has been able not only to build resilience by understanding our floodplain risk and taking smart steps to mitigate it, but also to help our residents save money and build wisely. This is an example of a great federal, local, and community-based partnership.