Meeks, Garbarino Introduce Legislation to Lower Flood Insurance Costs for New Yorkers

"Preparation and planning are crucial for mitigating the impacts of flooding in flood-prone areas like Southeast Queens," said Rep. Meeks. "However, flood insurance coverage is not always accessible to many households. FEMA's pilot program helps communities like mine to secure essential coverage that protects their properties and is tailored to that specific area's vulnerabilities. I look forward to evaluating the effectiveness of this program and gaining insights into this innovative insurance solution."

"Long Islanders are all too familiar with the realities of flooding," said Rep. Garbarino. "However, many households do not have sufficient coverage to fully recover from a natural disaster. By creating a community-based flood insurance pilot program at FEMA, we aim to bolster community resilience, lessen the protection gap that many communities are facing, and ensure that communities and residents who need coverage can afford it."

Community-based flood insurance is flood coverage arranged by a local governmental, quasi-governmental body, or community group covering a group of properties within the community. In other words, it is a single insurance policy for an entire community. The only two prerequisites of CBCI are that it is purchased or facilitated by some type of community entity and that it covers multiple properties. Other than those two features, there can be enormous flexibility in the structure and design of the coverage, allowing it to be tailored for various types of communities and to meet a range of needs.

Read the full text of the bill, here.

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