Home / Mitigation / Severe Repetitive Loss Program

Mitigation - Severe Repetitive Loss Program

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM), which serves as the State Coordinating Agency for the National Flood Insurance, Flood Mitigation Assistance, Repetitive Flood Claims and Severe Repetitive Loss programs, is pleased to announce the opening of the application cycle under the Fiscal Year 2009, Severe Repetitive Loss Program. The State of Florida has been allocated $9+ million in project funds under the Severe Repetitive Loss Program by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Eligible sub-applicants, local and Native American Tribal governments, may submit sub-applications to DEM on or before November 7, 2008, using FEMA's Electronic Grants Management System (E-Grants).

Eligible sub-applicants are also required to perform and attach to the E-Grants sub-application a Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) in PDF and Excel formats for each project. Alternatively, eligible sub-applicants may use the Fiscal Year-2008, Alternative Methodology for Determining Cost Effectiveness in lieu of submitting a traditional BCA. Sub-applications which are fully eligible, technically feasible and cost-beneficial will be submitted to FEMA on or before December 19, 2008.

Severe repetitive loss structures are residential buildings that have at least: (a) Two separate claims payments with the cumulative amount of the claims exceeding the market value of the building; or (b) Four claims payments over $5,000 each and the cumulative amount of such claims payments exceeds $20,000. The SRL Program is different from the other mitigation grant programs because property owners who decline offers of mitigation assistance may experience an increase in their flood insurance premium to more closely reflect the flood risk to the structure. Otherwise, the SRL Program compliments the Flood Mitigation Assistance and the Repetitive Flood Claims programs for which sub-applications were accepted earlier by DEM from eligible sub-applicants.

The Severe Repetitive Loss Program was authorized by the Bunning-Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-264), which amended the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, to provide funding to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to severe repetitive loss structures and reduce claims under the National Flood Insurance Program. The Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for the SRL Program is 97.110.
The regulations for the SRL Program are codified at Title 44, Code of Federal Regulations Part 79.

Although the Severe Repetitive Loss Program is federally funded, the program is administered through a partnership with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM). The Division of Emergency Management has the authority and responsibility for developing and maintaining a State Standard Hazard Mitigation Plan, which was approved by FEMA on August 24, 2007, reviewing Severe Repetitive Loss Program sub-applications, recommending technically feasible and cost effective sub-applications to FEMA and providing pass-thru funding for approved project grants to eligible sub-applicants. The Division of Emergency Management is also responsible for ensuring that projects funded by the Severe Repetitive Loss Program are completed and that all performance and financial reporting requirements are met.

The Fiscal Year-2009 Severe Repetitive Loss Program Guidance governs how projects are submitted and selected for funding. The success in reducing future flood insurance claims depends upon the ability of our local and Native American Tribal governments to develop, implement and maintain long-term flood mitigation projects. The Florida Division of Emergency Management will recommend, submit and provide pass-through funds to be eligible sub-applicants (local and Native American Tribal governments) for fully eligible and technically feasible projects that are the most cost-effective in reducing or eliminating future claims payments from the National Flood Insurance Fund.

Eligible sub-applicants must:

• Participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and be in good standing;
• Have a FEMA-approved local mitigation plan that is compliant with 44 CFR 201;
• Be able to obtain the non-federal cost share from the owner of the structure to meet the match requirements of the Severe Repetitive Loss Program.
  
  

• State Agencies;
• Local and Native American Tribal governments.
  Local and Native American Tribal governments that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and who are not on probation, have not withdrawn or have not been suspended from the NFIP are eligible to receive Severe Repetitive Loss Program grants.
  

Grants are available to local and Native American Tribal governments on behalf of homeowners to implement measures to reduce the risk of flood damage to validated severe repetitive loss structures that are insured under the National Flood Insurance Program. The State of Florida will use project funds to implement technically feasible and cost-effective measures that flood retrofit insured validated severe repetitive loss structures. Severe repetitive loss structures constitute the largest drain on the National Flood Insurance Fund. Therefore, only validated severe repetitive loss structures are eligible for funding assistance under this program. Examples of eligible flood retrofit project activities are:

(1) Acquisition and Demolition or Relocation;
(2) Elevation and Retrofit, which includes second story conversions;
(3) Mitigation Reconstruction, only if elevation is not feasible;
(4) Dry Flood-proofing of Historical Structures; and
(5) Minor Physical Flood Control Projects.

The activities above, although eligible, must also meet the following minimum criteria in order to be considered for funding:

• Be cost-effective
  
  A project must be cost-effective and substantially reduce the risk of future damage, hardship, loss or suffering resulting from a major disaster. This requirement is satisfied by performing a Benefit- Cost analysis to determine whether the benefits to be gained are at least equal to, or greater than the cost of the project.

• Be technically feasible
  
  The project must use flood resistant design and construction methods and flood resistant materials that are accepted by the design and construction industry, as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  
  
• Located in or benefits an NFIP-compliant community
  
  An eligible project must be located physically in a participating NFIP community that is not on probation, suspended or withdrawn from the NFIP, and the project must benefit such a community directly by reducing future flood damages.  

• Not be located in a Coastal Barrier Resource Act designation area.  

• Comply with the local mitigation plan that is in conformance with 44 CFR 201. 
  Each applicant must have an approved Local Mitigation Strategy, Flood Mitigation Plan, or a Community Rating System Floodplain Management Plan which is compliant with Title 44 CFR Part 201. Conformance of these plans with 44 CFR 201 ensures that the proposed measure is in keeping with statewide mitigation strategies, and the State Standard Hazard Mitigation Plan maintained by the Division of Emergency Management.

• Comply with environmental laws, regulations and executive orders
  Comply with Executive Order 11988 (Title 44, CFR , Part 9 - Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands), Environmental Considerations and the National Environmental Policy Act [NEPA] (Title 44, CFR , Part 10).

• Be in conformance with the minimum floodplain management regulations of the National Flood Insurance Program (Title 44, CFR , Sections 59 and 60.3) and the local government's Community Rating System Program, if applicable.
  
  

Owners of validated severe repetitive loss structures who are interested in flood retrofitting their structure should contact their local or Native American Tribal governments about submitting a sub-application on their behalf. All sub-applications must be submitted by eligible sub-applicants and they cannot be accepted directly from individuals, families or businesses. A sub-application for each project must be submitted to the Florida Division of Emergency Management on or before November 17, 2008.

After review and revision, fully eligible sub-applications will be submitted by the Division of Emergency Management to FEMA-Region IV on or before December 19, 2008. Additionally, the Division of Emergency Management requires that all sub-applications be submitted using the E-Grants System, The local and Native American Tribal governments will perform and attach to the E-Grant sub-applications a Benefit Cost Analysis in PDF and Excel formats for each project, or use the Fiscal Year-2008, Alternative Methodology for Determining Cost Effectiveness.

E-Grants Training for the Sub-Applicant
An interactive computer based course is designed to provide local and Native American Tribal governments with basic knowledge about using the web-based Mitigation Electronic Grants (E-Grants) System. E-Grants streamlines the application process by providing governmental units with the ability to apply for and manage sub-grant applications over the Internet. This course is designed to allow the individual to take it in its entirety or to focus on specific aspects of the E-Grants System. The course examines registering for access to the E-Grants System; creating, completing and submitting sub-grant applications to the Florida Division of Emergency Management for forwarding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and managing approved sub-applications. The course may be accessed at the following link  http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS30.asp

 

Each Local and Native American Tribal government is Required to Register
Representatives in E-Grants

• Register a representative(s) to create and edit project sub-applications; and
• Register a representative(s) to sign and submit the project sub-application. This representative may be the chief elected official or chief administrative official of the local or Native American Tribal government, or his/her designee. Documentation must be sent to the Florida Division of Emergency Management identifying this individual.
• The Sub-grant Applicant Quick Reference Guide is available at http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1816

 

• After reviewing the Application Process, click here to register for the E-Grants System: https://portal.fema.gov
• Click on “New User ?” link to register
• Follow screen instructions after clicking on New User and Submit. These require you to type the funny looking characters appearing on the screen.
• Personal Information is entered on the next several screens; Special note: create a user name that is at least 7 characters and not more than 14 characters in length without any spaces, and all in lower case. Click on Submit when requested at the end of each page.
• A new window will appear with the message Click here to request new privileges
• Click on Mitigation E-Grants. The next screen will ask for an “ACCESS ID”. Enter S12 (Capital S) and submit.
• The next screen confirms that registration is successful and you will see a message “Your request is being processed”. This means that your request has been placed in the E-Grant System approval queue. You will be notified via email once the DEM staff has taken action on your request.
• After receiving the previous message, the Sub-applicant sends an email to DEM in care of Miles.Anderson@em.myflorida.com

with the names and requested access rights (view/print, create/edit and sign/submit) of all users to be registered from the local government.

There are Two Options for Completing the BCA:
(1) Sub-applicants must use a FEMA approved methodology to perform a BCA. The traditional FEMA-approved software-based BCA Flood Modules may be used to determine the cost effectiveness of a project. Only those sub-applications that result in a benefit cost ratio of 1.0 or greater will demonstrate cost-effectiveness for SRLP funding consideration. The BCA must be attached to the sub-application in PDF and Excel formats. The FEMA approved BCA Toolkit, which includes the Flood Modules, may be downloaded at no cost. The BCA Helpline may be contacted by telephone (866.222.3580) or via e-mail ( bchelpline@dhs.gov ), or
(2) The Fiscal Year-2009

, Alternative Methodology for Determining Cost Effectiveness, developed by FEMA, may be used in lieu of the traditional BCA Flood Modules for validated severe repetitive loss properties insured under the NFIP. Structures on the list have already had their mitigation benefits, both 30 and 100-year, calculated by FEMA. Additional information on this alternative approach, as well as the list of validated structures is available to sub-applicants by contacting the Division of Emergency Management staff assigned to their local government. This list is protected by the Federal Privacy Act.

Fiscal Year-2008, SRL Program Notification Memo (PDF)
Summary of Florida Severe Repetitive Loss Validated Data(PDF)
Retrofitting and Flood Mitigation in Florida (PDF)
Fiscal Year - 2008, SRL Program Guidance

Mitigation - Benefit Cost Analysis Toolkit (260 MB WinZip Download)
Download Instructions:
1. Create a folder on your desktop called "Toolkit"
2. Click on the above link and select the download option.
3. Choose your desktop as the download location.
4. Right click on the downloaded WinZip file on your desktop.
5. Choose extratc to "Toolkit" folder on your desktop.
6. Open your "Toolkit" folder and double-click the file called "autorun.exe"
View More WinZip Instructions

All documents should be submitted to the Florida Division of Emergency Management at the following address:

State of Florida
Division of Emergency Management
Mitigation
2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100

Contact

Kirk Spraggins
kirk.spraggins@em.myflorida.com
850-413-9951

Updated:
December 2, 2008 10:25