FEMA has been on the receiving end of harsh criticism lately for decision the agency made in the wake of recent storms that tore through Southern U.S. The agency issued a sleuth of new rules regarding insurance coverage for areas that may or may not be in danger of flooding. Some of the regions included in FEMA’s flood insurance mandate have not actually seen high waters in decades; such is the case in Calaveras County, California. Hundreds of homeowners and businesses have been affected by the mandate and claim that mandatory flood insurance has brought undue financial pressure to the county.
FEMA has agreed to loosen the insurance mandate and has begun working with Calaveras County Planning Director Rebecca Willis to find a reasonable solution to the matter. According to Willis, representatives from the agency agreed to a number of measures that would help ease the financial burden of the mandate.
FEMA will be providing city officials with detailed flood maps that will show whether or not homes fall within designated flood zones. The agency will also nix requirements for homeowners to hire independent inspectors to survey their homes and find whether they are in a flood zone or not.
FEMA has also agreed to conduct more studies of the County’s surrounding waterways to form a more accurate and detailed understanding of how those bodies of water factor into the agency’s flood maps.